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Joliet, IL

a friend advised me to till in copper sulfate this fall
to eliminate bacteria and viruses that are spread by
cuke beetles. he said if i don't do it i will have
no chance at ever getting another 500+ pounder because
he saw cuke beetles in some of my flowers this year.
he claims that even though i sprayed diligently all season
a build up of bacteria passed from cuke beetle to plants
will make my soil progressively worse from year to year
if i don't use copper sulfate tilled into my soil.
he doesn't grow pumpkins, but said he used to garden
and know what he is talking about. he is as stubborn
as an ox and i told him of everything i have read online,
i do not see the benefits and actually see detriments
like killing my worms. any truth to his claims?

9/25/2003 10:09:52 PM

Oz

copper sulfate will clean your sewage plumbing..
i.e. liquid plumber....
dont tox your soil with a reactant...
it kills everything...and it reacts with all organic goodies...
your friend is the product of dow/basf/hooker/dupont,marketing.....or worse,,,
a shade tree mad scientist.
in michigan they said to till your soil as much as you can
in winter to freeze out bad goodies,,,

9/25/2003 11:35:18 PM

Brillion Wisconsin

Hey Shazzy, Not sure on how right your friend is, but I can tell you my experience with cuke beetles. Last year I had a plague of cuke beetles, I had cukes on top of cukes, every flower was full of them I had no control. I sprayed twice a week with sevin and other insecticides. I would kill them for a few days but they would be back with reinforcements in a day or two.


This year I was rearmed with a vegetable duster and 15 pounds of insecticide dust. I have'nt seen a single one all year, not even a dead one. Maybe it was the weather,sea weed applications or some other factor, but there just were not any around. I can't explain it, don't take for granted that you will have them next year and kill your soil this fall. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Good luck Dean o

9/26/2003 9:18:38 AM

Joliet, IL

thanx for the replies.

i can now end this raging bar room banter that he
spews out everytime he is drunk. he means well, but
jams advice down my throat and then tells me i am
stubborn for not listening to his advice when i diagree
with anything he says.

tremor, if you read this, could you give me any scientific
reason why i should or should not use copper sulfate
tilled into the soil. the more technical the better
so i can explain it thoroughly to my jackass friend.

thanx
shazzy

9/26/2003 7:07:17 PM