Would you say this is organic?

I've been told today that Leek Moth is a serious issue on the alloments where we are and I have this product which I have used successfully for the last couple of years on my herbs for Mint Moth but as our allotments have an organic policy would you class this product as organic? It's active ingredient is Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki which is a naturally occurring bacteria which once consumed by the caterpillars prevents them from feeding and theu die...

 

Surely if the active ingredient is naturally occurring it must be organic.

 

Yep, i'd say it was. Especially with the "for organic gardening" lable bit. But if in doubt, give the soil association an email

 

Well that's my thinking... just wanted to check

 

Leek moth is a nightmare

 

Where did you see that?

 

I'd never heard of it until the other people I was speaking to mentioned it...

I assumed all the cloches were for Carrot Fly but I was told it was actually for everyone's Onions, Garlic & Leeks...

 

Is companion planting an option in this scenario?

 

But what would you plant? you plant Allium family plants around carrot family to help confuse carrot fly but what would you plant to confuse leek moth which likes the smell of onion?

 

I don't know. I'm not an expert on the strategy, I'm just vaguely aware of the concept.

Perhaps some strong scented herbs? Lavender perhaps, or rosemary? Or, if this leek moth is nocturnal, I wonder if night scented stock might do the trick.

Please don't take the above as advice. I don't want to be responsible for you losing your crop if I'm wrong. I really don't know. I was just floating the idea out there.

 

I wouldn't use it as a full proof plan clueless1 I'm going to be planting herbs and other smelly plants (French Marigolds etc.) but I've had a google and there doesn't appear to be anything widely grown that's known to deter Leek Moth in fact many websites list onions as a companion plants to leafy vegetables to deter caterpillars!

 

It appears to be an American product, can you buy it here?

 

Bottom of the lable, where it says "for organic gardening" What am I going to do with you me old chestnut?

 

I bought it from Amazon.com from the US it cost me around £14 delivered. which although around double the price of a standard pesticide at the time I was suffering from caterpillars on my cacti as well which was the reason for the purchase.

 

I think you'll be fine using Bacillus thuringiensis on an organic allotment. It's listed in my HDRA Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening as a permitted pesticide for organic use (although this was printed in 2001). As far as I'm aware it is still approved for organic use.

I think you can find it in the UK under the names Dipel or Thuricide.

I grow all my vegetables organically and I've used it for several years with great success to control cabbage white caterpillars.

This is what Garden Organic (HDRA) currently suggest on their website for Leek Moth control: