New Virus GemStar LC to to help kill budworms like BT but better

sschnei

Member
I have been researching the latest ways to deal with the blight of the budworm near harvest time. I have been a grower for 40+ years and this is always a battle outdoors. Last year I used mosquito netting over my DIY PVC cage that is 4X10" pvc 3/4 inch pipe and connect them at the top with 5' sections with 90 angle PVC sprinkler parts. So the PVC pipe is mounted on the bottom with rebar in the ground and slide the PVC over the rebar that extend 2' above the ground. The tops square holding the four posts together have a three way connector one for the 10" pieces to go into then the top of this part are 90 Degree corners. Cheap to build quickly and keeps most of the plant from touching the mosquito netting. My plants are around 8' tall with a girth of about 5' across in 150 grow bags. Issue about using netting is lower air circulation so you risk both mites and mildew. To deal with this I purchase three fans one for each plant. This alleviate some of the other issues like mildew and had a very small mite issue to deal with quickly since I was monitoring them daily. (See attached photo of 2022 with netting and then the plant close to harvest). This year I discovered in my research that tobacco and cotton farmers use a new product called GemStar LC (hard to find and not cheap $100 for two quarts delivered to Northern CA from a Texas organic supply store that should last for years). This product works like the bacteria BT spray except it is a virus that kills the larva quickly once they eat part of the sprayed plant. It breaks down like the BT spray so no harm to the bud, smell, or taste. I'm planning on combining both of the treatments together to really hopefully kill any budworms that make it to the plants. I almost forgot the 3/4 acre size UV insect trap hanging next to the plants although the tobacco moth is not as attracted to UV light. The last layer of protection that is available this year is a new pheromone for the moth. I found them online from an Oregon manufacture and for $60 I will have 25 pheromone lures and two traps to monitor if the moth is around. I am in all out war mode. I am not sure what anyone can do beyond my multilayer defense. I also go out every night to monitor if I see any moths so far none but the buds are just about the size of a dime. I'm debating if I just do battle or cover them again with the netting. Just starting to bud in the first week of August in Northern CA. BTW the netting and PVC are reusable for many years and each plant setup for the netting and PVC structure is under $100. 4 pieces of 3-4 foot rebar (precut at home depot $16), 4X 10' 3/4' PVC($20), 4X 3 way connector for each corner ($12) and 20x20 or 20x16 mosquito netting (found on ebay about $50). The fan is for more protection from condensation caused inside the netting causing mildew and more inviting for spider mites. Good luck and hope you have a great harvest.
 

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