Kitchen Gardeners

Hullo, can anyone tell me about using tobacco dust on Mielies (corn on the cob?) My dad has brought some over and says I must dust them to keep the Mielie bug away. Huh?

Is this accepted practice, is it organic practice, when does one do it?

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I am not familiar with this insect or treatment. Have you seen the mielie bug in your garden? I usually avoid any kind of action until I have a problem. I am just guessing here, but I would think that tobacco dust could be harmful to humans.

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Beware! Tobacco is indeed toxic, and will kill bugs - but it carries a virus that will also kill your tomato plants, if you have any.

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Seems like dad is trying to help you keep corn pest away using what he has used or been taught to use. Most times the old ways are cheaper and work well, but in this case I agree with Courtney that tobacco may carry virus' that could effect your tomatoes, egg plants, or peppers. If you smoke or use tobacco already in your garden you could already have the virus. ~:>

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Many thanks for the info, we try to be more accommodating of the bugs and crawlies in our garden. Interesting about the virus though, it seems when we mess with the order of things in our gardens, there is always a pay off!

One more question, how does one ensure that pollination takes place properly with mielies, last season I got mielies that had very few pips on the cob?

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I plant corn in hills or blocks of rows, rather then a single long row. Corn is wind pollinated and if planted in a long row the pollin may be carried away from the row with very little falling on the silks.... You could also cut one tassel and shake it over the silks...

If you want to plant in long rows plant at least three rows side by side.

~:>

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