How much thyme oil

[Diesel21]

what is the proper amount of thyme oil to use in a gallon of water?

 

[DirtMechanic]

Try 3.5% to start. You may find molasses or other emulsifiers useful depending on what you are doing.

 

[Diesel21]

I will be using this for cucumber beetles and their damage

 

[Diesel21]

Is that about 4.5 ounces in a gallon? I don’t want to mess it up

 

[DirtMechanic]

half a cup. pour off that much and add it back or dont bother.Testing I have seen shows no improvement between 4 and 6% as both achieve 100% lab control of those pathogens that are affected so waste is occurring. Better to show up more often with a weaker mix. The water is important. 9 tablespoons.

Specific gravity is measured against water. Not sure of your source, but a half cup of your thyme oil vs a half cup of water has the ration. Water is 1:1 obviously. What concentration of thyme oil you have can be measured this way. Using ml in the metric system is best because it accounts for mass.

 

[Diesel21]

I mixed a half a cup of thyme oil with about 1 1/4 gallon of water. Sprayed after the sun went down an now my entire garden is wilted. Did this ruin all my hard work over the last few months?

 

[DirtMechanic]

Since oil and water do not mix, and it sounds like you only used water with no other emulsifier or dispersant or spreader sticker, you need to get out there with some soapy water spray and then wash it off after the soap. How did you prepare the oil? Did you put it in a carrier like vegetable oil? Straight? Essentail oils are concentrates and are usually cut before use, and this may be what you bought? On top of that, with no emulsifier or spreader it has no way to disperse throughout the water so a undiluted spray will result.

 

[Diesel21]

Yes I just mixed with water. Didn’t know I had to mix with anything else. So I need to spray with soapy water now? Like a couple tablespoons of soap per gallon of water

 

[DirtMechanic]

Like you would use to wash your car. Use a kitchen sink soap detergent designed for grease cutting, not baby shampoo or mild hand soap which will not cut the oil as well.

 

[Diesel21]

I just sprayed the soapy water and washed them off. They all appear to be dead. About 100 plants I grew from seed

 

[DirtMechanic]

I am sorry to have been party to that. Hopefully they may not be dead though. Are they in the ground or in pots?

 

[Leeski]

I just sprayed the soapy water and washed them off. They all appear to be dead. About 100 plants I grew from seed

What plants are they?

 

[Diesel21]

They are in raised beds. Cukes tomatoes squash peppers hot and sweet and melons

 

[Leeski]

Don’t give up on them I would water them at there base lots and lots of water fingers crossed for you

 

[Diesel21]

What do you think? I think I’ve lost everything. So much work for this to happen.

 

[Leeski]

I’m so sorry for you I don’t know what I would do hopefully some on here can give you some advise as it’s beyond me

 

[DirtMechanic]

I am sorry. Be patient and do not overwater.

 

[Diesel21]

So is there anyway they will come back at all? Or should I just pull it all up.

 

[Leeski]

I would hang on a while yet if I was you fingers crossed

 

[DirtMechanic]

So is there anyway they will come back at all? Or should I just pull it all up.

Do not pull them up. Thyme is what they call a hot oil. Surface burns but roots an stems are hopefully ok.