DIATOMACEOUS EARTH 500g

Diatomaceous Earth is a silica rich powered mineral and is 100% natural and non-toxic.  It is made from the fossilised remains of freshwater single-celled plants.  

Its use has been found to be effective in the control of cockroaches, silverfish, ants, fleas, flies, ticks, lice, earwigs, aphids, white fly, beetles, mites, snails, slugs and leaf hoppers. It is also used in products for the control of internal parasites of stock including poultry, goats, horses and sheep. 

Many have found good results when using it as a nourishing tree paste after pruning, painting on stock damaged trunks and as a general tonic to help a tree when over-wintering.  

Mix together the following ingredients with enough water to form a runny paste:

• 2 parts diatomaceous earth (deters pests and provides nourishing strength)

• 4 parts fresh organic cow manure (provides nutrients and beneficial bacteria)

• 3 parts clay or soil containing clay (adheres the past to the tree)

Prior to application, scrub the trees bark with a scrubbing brush to remove all algae, lichen and insects.  Using a paint brush apply the paste and then allow 24 hours to dry. 

Diatomaceous Earth may be sprinkled by hand, made into a paste or used with either the POWDER DISPENSER or SHAKER.

Contains:  Non Toxic 100% Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

Caution:  Avoid inhaling and keep away from children.

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(Sourced from BAA - Biodynamic Agriculture Australia)

Diatomaceous Earths uses in agriculture are many. It is a useful addition to compost heaps and the soil because it is a once living form of silica and has high paramagnetism. It stimulates healthy growth of plant root systems. It conditions the soil by making silica available to plants, improving cation exchange and helping the soil to retain water. It is advised that a calcium source (hydrated lime, agricultural lime or gypsum) be added at the same time so that the calcium and cations can occupy the sites left by aluminium which is bounded by the soluble silica.

In the soil, soluble silica in the form of silic acid plays a number of important roles, binding aluminium, manganese and heavy metals, thus reducing their toxicity. It also improves the plant availability of calcium and phosphorus and increases the number of beneficial soil organisms, particularly beneficial fungi. It also improves the cation exchange capacity and conductivity.

Silica is deposited as opaline silica in plant tissue – this toughens the plant, making it more resistant to fungal attack. A high silica content also makes the plant less palatable to insects.

Soluble components of Australian soils, including silica have been leached over millennia, particularly in high rainfall coastal areas. Soils should contain over 100ppm Silica for optimum fertility

It is used as an insecticide against hive beetle in bee hives, red mite and lice in chicken sheds, in grain storage and as an essential ingredient of biodynamic tree paste.

The insecticidal properties of diatomaceous earth stem from the fact that the hard silica skeletons are extremely sharp and abrasive, wearing away the exoskeletons of insects and drying them out. Because of these properties it is also being experimented with for worm control in all livestock. It becomes especially palatable when mixed with other stock feeds or with liquid molasses.

Gardens
When sprayed on plants, it will deter grasshoppers and leaf eating insects in the vegetable garden and stay as a residual mineral in the soils, providing plant available silica and improving cation exchange. Silica, like calcium, strengthens cell walls resulting in robust and efficient plants. Silica improves brix levels and therefore flavour. Plants produce more flowers and pollen is more viable resulting in better fruit set. Apply and rake DE into soil at the rate of 500g/m2.

Fruit Trees
Apply to the soil in autumn, at the rate of 1 tonne per ha or 1-2kg per 10m2. DE in the soil helps builds up a reservoir of available carbon during the winter by absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide, which helps kick start growth in spring. This leads to better fruit set and retention.

Viticulturists
Use in orchards, as an anti-fungal mist spray into canopy during humid and wet conditions. Also use this combination at end of harvest, before leaf drop, to increase photosynthesis, stored in the soil as carbon over winter, ready for a good start next season. Mix with coffee grounds and place around stems of vines to deter snails and slugs.

Floriculturists
Use of DE in a foliar and soil application leads to increased colour, strong stems (no need for wiring ) and protection of flowers and flowering shrubs against fungal diseases.

Lucerne Growers
DE and Horn Silica sprayed out at the two – four leaf stage will give lucerne solid stems and strengthen it against fungal disease and insect attack.

Seed Coating
Mix up liquid Biodynamic Soil Activator with some seaweed tea with DE and dolomite (in equal quantities) to make a tacky wet mix and coat seeds in it and allow them to dry. This protects the seeds against insect attack.

Storing Grains
DE is used as an absorbent dust insecticide for the control of various stored product insect pests in farm-stored feed and seed grain, and grain for human consumption.

Animal Care
Horses: Hair splitting in horses – ½ teaspoon DE moistened in water add to their feed each day. Hooves may improve – no splits and were much stronger. (Good for our (human) finger nails and hair too.
Poultry: DE acts as a wormicide as well as external parasites. Put some in the dust bowl so they can cover themselves. Controls lice and red mites. Add ½ teas to 2 tbls to the chooks drinking water after washing container out well. Keeps water clean.
Bees: Diatomite kills Small Hive Beetle. Beetle traps are available commercially through Apiarist Suppliers. Fill them with DE which kills the beetles.
Sheep: Diatomite to treat parasitic worms in sheep. Feed to flock a mixture of Diatomite (DE )and salt. Results have been quite dramatic with a significant reduction in the requirement for drenching.
Also try using as a rub to the skin after fly strike. As DE absorbs moisture and oils rapidly it may also help in those animals that have hollows in their neck or back that hold water and smell and attract flies. Maybe it could be puffed on as the animals are checked for flystrike and at crutching.
Cattle: Can be used as a drench same as for sheep. 1 salt : 1 DE. Can be added to the rubbing roll with oil against Buffalo Fly. Also try spraying the paddocks boundaries with DE (soaked if not using Absorbicide which is finer at 10 microns) and Horn Silica 501. Repeat when moving to new paddocks.
Dogs: DE can be brushed through their coats and through their bedding for an effective treatment against flees. It can also be taken internally with their favorite food 2 days before full Moon. 1tsp for small dogs up to 1 tbs for large dogs.
Human: DE is an effective preventative against bed bugs. Dust around architraves, edges of mattresses and apply to outside of double-sided tape on legs of beds. Can also be put in castors under bed legs.

Precautions – Wear a good dust mask when applying dry, as it is very dusty. DE is amorphous silica and much more soluble than crystalline (quartz) silica and is not a health hazard. DO NOT use diatomaceous earth sold for swimming pool filters. (It has been partially melted and sometimes chemically treated).