Is it Possible to Overuse Natural Insecticides?
As with any form of insecticide too much is never a good thing, so the answer would be yes. The majority of problems with insecticides in general are over use and unfortunately this includes natural insecticides as well. All too often the insect can become immune or the insects offspring are resistant.
Oftentimes people think that just because something is considered natural that that means that they can a use more for a greater effect. Natural insecticides although they need in most cases, to be applied more frequently to maintain the effectiveness still need to be treated as a poison.
Excessive use in general is not advised and in large quantities some of the natural insecticides can be considered toxic to warm blooded mammals. Tobacco in large doses can be extremely harmful to animals, wildlife, and humans, For example.
This is highly effective as a natural insecticide when used properly and diluted. Granted it does degrade quickly making it very useful to use on food plants nearing harvest, using too much of it is not only unnecessary but also potentially harmful until it is absorbed.
The overuse of the pyrethrum daisy can also be a problem as this is a broad and general natural insecticide. Not only does it indiscriminately kill insects, including the ones that are beneficial within your garden but also because it is often used in powder form people tend to think that it is necessary to add more then what is recommended. This natural insecticide also kills butterflies ladybugs, dragonflies and so on, which are known to be beneficial to the garden for insect control and pollination.
Natural insecticides are fabulous alternatives to commercially prepared synthetic insecticides the chances for toxicity are relatively low compared to the latter. They are better for the environment in general, as they do not tend to stay within the soil as long as their synthetic counterparts seem to do and this reduces the risk of our waterways becoming contaminated with toxins.
As with any insecticide less is more and natural insecticides are no exception. Taking the time to understand when and if you need to apply natural insecticides as well as how to properly apply them is very important. If you don't have an infestation of insects you do not need to apply insecticide whether it is synthetic or a natural insecticide.
Also knowing which type of insects your plants are infected with can help cut down the overuse of a natural insecticide. Certain insects respond to certain types of natural insecticides better than others. Knowing which type of insect you are facing helps cut down the need of using a broad based natural insecticide in order to remedy the problem.
Knowing the best time to apply and when to reapply your natural insecticide product can help prevent indiscriminate over use. Many natural insecticides become ineffective in the heat or after rain. So looking into when is the best time to apply your natural insecticide not only saves you time but in the long run money as well. All natural insecticides work best if they're used wisely and only if needed, over use is not necessary nor will it give you better results.
