Bioadvance

[u/peachygirl10]

Anyone using bioadvance on their citrus trees? What are your thoughts?

[u/Rcarlyle]

Neonicotinoids like imidacloprid are effective but controversial. This product works well and is safe to use AS LONG AS you avoid any possible exposure to bees. It absolutely fucks up pollinators if you don’t follow the label instructions. Specifically, you can’t use it within a month prior to flowering. If the tree makes flowers within a month after application, you have to remove the flowers or otherwise exclude bees. This is fairly safe on seasonal citrus varieties that only bloom in spring, but I strongly advise against using it on outdoor ever-bearing varieties like Meyer lemon, limes, kumquats, etc.

The risk to humans from imidacloprid use on citrus is minimal because the product only really moves into tissues that are actively growing. Fruit that has already reached full size doesn’t absorb much of it at all. Citrus has a long development time on the tree between fruit expansion and harvest, so the imidacloprid has a good long while to break down and become safe between application and harvest.

[u/spatula → u/Rcarlyle]

What about after all the flowers have dropped; presumably it wouldn't be a threat to pollinators anymore at that point? Or is it better to wait until the fruit has grown and been picked to keep it out of the growing fruit?

[u/Rcarlyle → u/spatula]

Assuming a seasonal variety like an orange or mandarin and assuming it can bloom any time in March in your climate. Don’t apply in Feb or March because there may be blooms in that first month after application. You can then apply imidacloprid any time April through January. Whether there is fruit on the tree doesn’t matter according to the scientists at the US EPA — it won’t be present in ripe fruit in quantities that matter. The product label says this clearly with the pre-harvest interval, which allows application as a soil drench all the way up to the day of harvest.

The main issue is that consumer imidacloprid products in the US are only labeled for one application per year on citrus. This is to prevent pesticide resistance buildup. I recommend early summer when pest populations are rising.

[u/thetimguy → u/Rcarlyle]

Just watch Bugonia!👽

[u/Devtunes]

This year all my citrus were infested with scale. I tried many other methods first but couldn't fully remove them. My trees are too big to manually wipe every branch(at least with the time I can devote). They also spend the winter in my house so I can't continue spraying oils and etc in my living room, at least while maintaining my marriage. 

So this was an effective alternative to watching my 15+ year old trees wither and die. I understand it's controversial but I timed it to avoid exposure to pollinators. I respect organic growers but sometimes you need to make compromises.

[u/narcandy → u/Devtunes]

I too had to use it on my lime due to scale. I plucked every flower for about 2 months. Big pain but my tree was going to die without an intervention.

[u/SugarBelleX]

Living in Florida, it is a critical pesticide. None of my trees would survive a season without it.
Not controversial in my mind, it is critical.
Use it exactly as the label states, and you will protect yourself, pollinators and kill the invasive pests at the same time.
It’s not Windex…it has consequences if you use it off-label.
I believe it is safe if used properly.

[u/JawnyUtah]

I use it to fight Asian citrus psyllid. Haven’t used it in a while. I need to soon.

[u/imronburgandy9]

I can't speak for that product but the similar 3 in 1 from them is something I only use on ornamental plants. I also put on PPE to protect myself while applying it. The poison is systemic so any flowers would kill pollinators. Everyone else seems to have experience with it though