Hey everyone! I'm growing peppers for hot sauce, and after dealing with a pest disaster last time, I applied Bio Advanced Fruit Citrus and Vegetable (which contains imidacloprid) to my young plants. They're in a screened area and won't flower for months, but I'm worried about their blossoms when I eventually move them to a raised bed. Will those flowers still be harmful to bees? Is there anything I can do to help protect our buzzing friends?
2 Answers
Honestly, I'm more worried about eating anything treated with imidacloprid. It can make the whole plant, including the fruit, toxic. You should definitely check if the label says it's safe for edibles. As for bees, a smart move is to pinch off any flowers as they start to form, which prevents pollination and the fruit from developing, but it also keeps the bees safe.
It’s good to know the pesticide is designed for edibles, but keep in mind that imidacloprid is systemic, so the toxicity can stick around even after a while. To protect bees, consider covering the plants with netting and if you wanna boost fruit set, you might have to hand pollinate. Just a thought: maybe skip eating the veggies from these plants if you're concerned.