Systemic Insecticide Usage in Nursery Plants

[so lucky]

Here is a link to an article about bedding plants and vegetable plants being saturated with neonicotinoids before we buy them, and the potential subsequent effects on pollinators in the garden.
This makes the plan to grow one's own tomato plants from seed even more attractive, as tomato plants we buy from a garden center are apparently the most potentially lethal to honey bees.

http://libcloud.s3.amazonaws.com/93/60/a/3130/Gardeners_beware_report_8-13-13_final_updated.pdf

I hope this address takes you to the right article. It is entitled "gardeners beware report." It's a pdf file that I couldn't copy and paste the address of. But worth seeing. If you can't find it any other way, it's in a newsletter from Organic Consumers Association. :/

 

[baymule]

It took me to the right article. That is so wrong. I plant more from seeds now, but will still buy some plants. That irks me that the darn plants are poisoned and the pollinators suffer and die. Bonnie Plants is the supplier for bedding plants here at WalMart and Lowes, I wonder if their plants are treated? I try so hard to live a more chemical free life because I have such chemical sensitivity issues. So if I go buy bedding plants, they are poisoned from place of origin? Grrrr........

 

[so lucky]

I wonder if Bonnie Plant Farm would tell what kind of insecticide they use. There are never any bug holes in their plants, so I wouldn't be surprised if they use systemic stuff. I think I will try to find out.

 

[so lucky]

I just e-mailed them with that question. Maybe we will get an answer.

 

[canesisters]

Wow.. now wouldn't that just be something.....

If it turns out that the bee problem isn't so much the GMO crops but the backyard gardener planting 'poison' tomaotes.....

 

[Ridgerunner]

This is my last post on here for a few days. Going to see my Granddaughter. Enjoy yourselves. I will.

How long does that systematic poison stay in the plant in strength; long enough to cause a problem? I couldnt get a clear feel in reading that article if this is a real problem or just a hypothetical this could possibly happen that in reality doesnt amount to a hill of beans.

I honestly dont know if this is really a problem or if it is someone being outrageous to sell column inches or get hits on their blog so they can charge their advertisers more. This is talking about killing pollinators. I know some tomatoes and peppers have flowers when you bring them home, but enough to be significant?

 

[Jared77]

I wonder if Bonnie Plant Farm would tell what kind of insecticide they use

Good luck with that.

I agree with Ridge on this one. They repeat multiple times what's going on, but that's it. There is no mention of the amount of these chemicals found in dead bees, in the comb, or honey produced or larvae from a collapsed colony. Where are the links to the necropsy (or would it be beecropsy?) showing even trace amounts of these chemicals?

There are a lot of cans not a lot hard facts. I'm not excusing the behavior for treating the plants to make a sale, however I'd like to see more substance regarding this issue before taking it as gospel.

Is it playing a factor? Quite possibly. But again where's the facts?

 

[seedcorn]

Don't know answer, why I ask. Those of you living in tobacco country, do you not have bees? These substances are in real low levels in plants except for the tobacco plant. Placed at low levels on seed. By the time plant grows up, it's either gone or dissipated.

 

[so lucky]

Just wanted to let you know: I e-mailed Bonnie Plant Farm last evening and asked specifically if they use systemic neonicotinoids on their plants. Got an answer this morning saying they do not use neonicotinoids in their greenhouses.
I guess one could dissect this and come up with a "Well, maybe they use them outside just before shipping" or something, if you want to nitpick. But I will take the statement at face value until there is a reason not to. So, baymule, you can continue to buy Bonnie plants and at least not worry about that one thing.

 

[Jared77]

Thats good I'm impressed they updated you so quickly. I wonder if its the retailers like Home Depot and others that are saturating the plants.