Quick question,
Ive always mixed this stuff in my soil as a preventative against soil bugs, but this bag i bought came with a puffer. Is it safe to put this stuff on the plant itself.
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For sure, all good, just DO NOT get it in your eyes or lungs. Pet’s too. The puffer can be used to just straight up blast insects, or to put down a thin dusting as preventive. If it gets wet, it’s useless, but when dry, it’s a minefield of razor blades and destruction for any soft bodied insect.
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I just saw an article the other day talking about how diatomaceous earth doesn’t actually do a whole bunch to help.
I only briefly read it so I am not going to endorse it or their conclusion yet, but thought it was worth mentioning. I have tried it in the past and just never kept up with it. It didn’t hurt, not sure if it helped, but it was just one extra thing to have to keep around. I do think diatoms, the algae whose cell wall makes up diatomaceous earth, are cool as shit. Look at those under the microscope for hours
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Besides slicing into bugs (when dry) it is also a slow release source of silica later. A win, win.
As noted, do not inhale as it causes irritation.
Cheers
G
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Yeah but for diatomaceous earth to work as a powder the insect needs to crawl over it. I like that as a supplement to a pest control plan but I wouldn’t want to rely on just DE for pest control. And if its mixed in the soil the distribution in the soil matrix makes it unlikely to be present thick enough to dry out pests.
I 100% agree on the silica part. Great way to supplement long term.
It works well in the garden, just watch u don’t use to much in a concentrated area, the shit tends to gum your soil up. But yeah u can use it on the foliage, if you do also don’t forget to wash it off with plain water after use on foliage and never… “NEVER” Dust this shit on flowers., pull your shirt up or wear a mask when doing the “ol’ powder dust shuffle”…
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It can be mixed into soil as a silica supplement. But, it is useless against pests after it’s gotten wet.
I would say yes. Though I would not put it on or near anything that will be consumed(even if it is food grade DE). Most people will just put it up the main stalk of the plant.
I’ll use my puffer to do DRY soil surfaces, plant pot rims, baseboard edges, and corners of the grow. Though lately my main line of defense is BTI. 
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Yes you can definitely puff it onto your plants. I would only recommend doing it in veg (obviously), and don’t breathe it in (wear a mask). I’ve done it many times. I just made my own puffer with a 16oz soda bottle with a hole drilled in the cap. Just add DE and squeeze!
You need to get it on the tops and undersides of the leaves. I also like to puff it into my grow room or into cracks in the walls (etc) and sprinkle it on the floor in places as a pest deterrent.
I have a friend who has his own “all natural” pest control business. DE is the main product he uses for many infestations.
As someone else mentioned, the DE needs to be dry and make contact with the pest to work.
It wouldn’t be my #1 choice to treat a pest infestation but I have used it to successfully treat spider mites before.
I mainly use it as just another good preventative measure.
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