I've got a mystery pest wreaking havoc on my dahlia leaves, and I'm thinking about using Bonide Super Soap to protect them. Before I spray, I'm worried about whether this product will harm beneficial insects too, especially those not directly on the plants I'm treating. Is it as harmful as traditional insecticides for those helpful critters?
1 Answer
Using soapy water like Bonide Super Soap can be pretty lethal to insects it touches. It doesn’t discriminate and can suffocate them by blocking their breathing tubes. However, it isn’t as effective if you can’t hit the bug directly, unlike regular pesticides. So it’s less harmful than traditional poisons, but make sure you make contact with the pest or it might not work at all!
That makes perfect sense. So if I spray and then the targets come back it won't do anything anyway? 😢 derpy looking dahlias it is!