Pesticide Foggers and Greenhouse Use
Controlling pests in a greenhouse can be extremely hard. Even if your greenhouse is small, the density of vegetation and the construction itself can offer many areas for unwanted organisms to mask and mask. While hand-picking and cultural controls are the most desirable alternative, it can sometimes be necessary to apply pesticides in a greenhouse setting. Foggers offer a convenient method to accomplish this, but they do have some disadvantages.
Types
Greenhouse pesticide foggers arrive in a selection of sizes and price factors. The largest, most efficient and most costly foggers are thermal pulse-jet systems. Designed to treat large areas in commercial and commercial special-use greenhouses, these systems can cover thousands of square feet. Cold foggers are another high-volume kind that use high pressure to produce many tiny drops of pesticide. On the other end of the spectrum are ready-to-use aerosol foggers, also called total release aerosols. These foggers are sold as individual cans and cover a small place. Their cost per square foot is greater than thermal pulse-jet foggers, but they’re usually a better option for a small greenhouse.
Benefits
Foggers provide a number of benefits over spray software or hand-picking insects. They eliminate the labor necessary to apply pesticides using a standalone spray unit or even built-in system. They also give a smaller and more constant droplet size, reducing waste. Pesticide foggers can protect the bottom and top surfaces of plant leaves, unlike many sprayers, reducing the amount of mucous leaf left to harbor and feed insects. Foggers are considered an excellent way to apply many organic pesticides, like sugar esters and nicotine derivatives, as stated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service.
Disadvantages
Pesticide foggers aren’t the right selection for every greenhouse. They don’t work with all types of pesticides, plus they leave deposits on the whole greenhouse, not just the plants that are affected. While this can be desirable if you’re attempting to kill insects that may be hiding in your greenhouse construction, it increases the risk of excessive exposure to substances. Foggers also ask that you leave the greenhouse for a particular quantity of time to prevent potential health hazards.
Warning
Small total release foggers are among the most popular options for smaller greenhouses, but they come with some risks. Using too many foggers for the available area, failing to leave the greenhouse and stay away while the fogger is operating, or failing to observe appropriate security techniques can lead to illness, neurological difficulties and unexpected fires. If you decide to use a pesticide fogger in your greenhouse, then read the label carefully and follow all directions to the letter.