Is anyone here using tobacco powder as an organic pesticide?

[Trellum]

Hey there! I was wondering how many of you use or have used tobacco powder as an organic pesticide? Was it useful to you? Do you think it's very effective?

I used tobacco powder in the past as an organic pesticide, I was quite pleased with it actually. I will definitely use it in the future, because I really don't like the idea of using chemical pesticides and fertilizers to help my plants grow. I used a tobacco powder mix specifically created for gardening, by the way.

It wasn't perfect, but helped protecting the indoor houseplants Not sure I'd use it on edibles and outdoors tho. There are other good options out there for organic gardeners.

 

[ChanellG]

I've never even heard of that, but I did make a tea once from tobacco to combat leaf miners. I can't remember where I found the information and I haven't located it again since I started up with my current garden. I don't remember what plants I used it on, but if I could get pure tobacco without additives I would try it with some of my edibles.

 

[Trellum]

They say it's a bad idea to use tobacco powder as an organic pesticide, because it could damage the beneficial bugs as well :O I liked to mix that tobacco mix I bought from the store with some soil. Strangely enough... the earth worms in my pots never minded the tobacco!! They thrived.

 

[ChanellG]

I don't have soil pest issues, thankfully. All of my plants are in containers, so that helps, but I would be interested in mixing tobacco powder with water to use as a foliar spray for leaf miners if it were feasible. I've also considered just growing a tobacco plant, but then those come with their own pest issues, lol.

 

[Trellum]

Lol, yeah! A tobacco plant comes with their own issues Well, I think you could try mixing it with water and give it a try. The tobacco mix I tried was of a brand named ''Happy Flower'' or something like that (sorry, my memory is a bit rusty nowadays!). It was very mild, so mild it never affected my earthworms, but not sure it kept the pests away, I only used because my plants seemed to love it. I guess you'd need to get a concentrated tobacco powder to do the job, I've never worked with that one :O

 

[ChanellG]

I'll have to check around the garden center here and see what they have in the way of tobacco powder. @zigs, have you ever used it for anything?

The leaf miners haven't been that bad, but if I were growing something like spinach I would want them eradicated immediately. They are such a pain in the rear end!

 

[zigs]

I've not used it, but I know they used to use it to fumigate glasshouses. Really toxic though, and can kill bees too.

You have to be careful about handling it as you can absorb the nicotein thru your skin.

6 grains of pure nicotein is enough to kill you to death

 

[ChanellG]

Yikes! So much for that idea!

You know I have to ask, @zigs, but how much of that nicotein is in a cigarette?

When I made the tobacco tea for the leaf miners I bought the "cleanest" I could find and took the paper off- I think I used a skinny cigar-type that someone recommended.

 

[gata montes]

I would agree with Zigs - he is right - tobacco powder is extremely toxic to all living things and is very definitely not something that I would ever consider using or recommend anyone else to use.

Although many people think that all organic fertilizers and pesticides are safe because the word " organic " is applied to them - it is not always the case - as there are many that are very definitely not - with tobacco powder being one of those that is most certainly not safe and is best avoided - as it can -

kill all beneficial insects, animals and humans as its highly toxic to all living things
as well as cause a number of diseases to plants in the nicotine/deadly nightshade family - particularly tomatoes
and as there are many plants that are particularly sensitive to nicotine - like roses for instance - it is very difficult for the average gardener to know which plants they can safely use it on

Apart from that - as I'm sure I've already mentioned once before in another thread with the identical title - as the main ingredient is tobacco and the end result of any tobacco based product is nicotine - which is known to have a high toxicity level and especially so in liquid form - it needs to be handled with great care - especially as just a small amount absorbed through the skin can be toxic for humans.

 

[alexiskilgannon]

I have never heard of using tobacco powder as a pesticide. I would like to look more into this, though I don't seem to have too many problems when it comes to pests.

 

[Trellum]

I've not used it, but I know they used to use it to fumigate glasshouses. Really toxic though, and can kill bees too.

You have to be careful about handling it as you can absorb the nicotein thru your skin.

6 grains of pure nicotein is enough to kill you to death

Woah, I had no idea the real tobacco powder was so toxic D: The thing I was using might not have had that much tobacco at all It's good to know the real deal it's so dangerous, I don't think I'll be using that tho. I don't want to kill bees or other helpful bugs, specially bees.... we are in dire need of bees.

 

[Trellum]

I have never heard of using tobacco powder as a pesticide. I would like to look more into this, though I don't seem to have too many problems when it comes to pests.

Apparently, I never used the real tobacco powder Since the thing I used didn't kill my earthworms, but they say the real tobacco powder can actually kill even bees! So I don't think using tobacco powder would be a good idea in the end.

 

[zigs]

Apparently, I never used the real tobacco powder Since the thing I used didn't kill my earthworms, but they say the real tobacco powder can actually kill even bees! So I don't think using tobacco powder would be a good idea in the end.

Agreed