Blossom Set

[Ken&Andria]

A co-worker was telling me about this blossom set stuff: http://www.gardeners.com/Vegetable%20Blossom%20Set%20Spray/34-444,default,pd.html

He said his folks use this stuff on their Cherry trees and it works well for them. I was just wondering if anyone knows much about this stuff; does it affect the bees in any way?

thanks-

[GRIMBEE]

Garbage- never use chemicals:eek:

[Bodo]

The 'all chemicals are evil and must be destroyed' crowd rears it's unimformed head again.

It uses a hormone (yes a chemical) to induce fruit setting under bad weather conditions. It'll be fine for your bees...

[GRIMBEE]

I like all organic. No chemicals Or hormones. Why don't you use Superboost on your bees also.

Plants don't need are help, Neither do the bees they have been here over 30 million years. We have been here for about 500,000 years. Why do you insist with messing up mother nature.

Go to Bodo's profile 3/4 of his blogs aren't even about beekeeping, Do you even own honeybees Bodo?

[Bodo]

Nope, not yet. I'm here to learn about beekeeping.

Is there some rule I need to know about that precludes me from posting here?
I do have a degree in Environmental Chemistry though...so I do know a few things about chemicals. I stand behind my previous assertion.

Being for all organic is fine, but don't use your narrow point of view from allowing other people to make thier own decisions. If you're so pro-'mother nature" why don't get you behind eraticating european honey bees from North America?

[GRIMBEE]

Sorry BODO:(:)

[Bodo]

Sorry? For what? :)

[iddee]

My bees use chemicals on themselves every day. I think the chemical composition of one of them is H2O. To use chemicals with wild abandon is bad, but to try and ban all chemicals is impossible. There are many that are good, some even totally necessary.

As for the op, I'm not familiar with that particular chemical.

[sentientsoil]

"If you're so pro-'mother nature" why don't get you behind eraticating european honey bees from North America?"

Actually, I've pondered that very question for myself before! Does anyone know of or if any studies that have been done regarding the inter-relationships of honeybees with the native North American wildlife?

Wait.. I'm hijacking a thread. should I start a new one?

BTW, I like chemicals. I'm just not so sure about manufactured chemicals, or using chemicals in doses not found naturally... "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" describes my attitude toward agriculture and the use of chemicals in general. but I'm not necessarily opposed to their use.

[Bodo]

I don't know enough to comment on that SS. It's an interesting question though.

As far as Chemicals go though, I'm mixed. Chemicals are a tool. You need to use the right tool for the right job. The trick is knowning what that is and then having people use them in the correct manner.

[Ken&Andria]

ok, lets try again. The actual subject of this thread is:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A co-worker was telling me about this blossom set stuff: http://www.gardeners.com/Vegetable%2...efault,pd.html

He said his folks use this stuff on their Cherry trees and it works well for them. I was just wondering if anyone knows much about this stuff; does it affect the bees in any way?

thanks-

[sentientsoil]

OK. Thanks for getting us/me back on track. :)

From what I can find online, the active ingredient is a plant hormone called kinetin. From what I find on Wikipedia, it seems to be used to promote cell-division. Also, "since 1996 it has been shown by several researchers that kinetin exists naturally in the DNA of almost all organisms tested so far, including human cells, and various plants."

Actually, it would seem it's mostly used in skin care cosmetics, for us human folk.

After some cursory searching, the only links I found online between honeybees and kinetin was in skin care (royal jelly and kinetin, etc)

Hope that was even the least bit helpful.

[Ken&Andria]

Thanks for the info. I was just wondering if anyone had actually used this stuff around thier hives- Maybe I'll be the guinea pig. But not this year...

[mike haney]

i have actually used this on my tomatoes. no noticed effect on my hives. this does not mean there was no effect. in a different year with different pollen collection patterns, the results might be different. i dont worry about it, though. good luck,mike

[MapMan]

http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=brands&id=2015058

MM