"Hot Pill' For Plants Keeps Critters Away

Hot Pill For Plants Keeps Critters Away CROPS Miscellaneous It s commonly known that critters don t like red pepper so spraying plants with a red pepper/water mix is a home remedy that works -at least until it rains Now imagine making the whole plant or tree taste like red pepper throughout the growing season That s exactly what a new product available this spring will do Repellex a pest control company that specializes in natural control products is in the final stages of EPA approval to sell tablets the size of three stacked nickels to bury next to trees shrubs and other non-edible plants The capsicum red pepper in the tablets dissolves into the roots and moves throughout the plant acting as a deterrent to deer and other pest animals throughout the growing season It lasts up to a year Jeff Wineke sales manager for Repellex says it can take 7 to 30 days for the capsicum to penetrate through the plant so the company recommends using a topical spray in addition to the tablets at first A topical application may also be useful through the winter when the plant is no longer growing Wineke notes that the tablets work for new and established trees and plants such as hostas and other perennials that deer and rabbits love to eat Depending on the size it can take anywhere from one to three tablets planted 1 to 3 in deep in the ground near the roots of the plant or tree Estimated cost is $20 for a bottle of 50 tablets available at garden centers that will be listed on Repellex s website Because of the taste the tablets aren t suitable for edible plants But homeowners landscapers and nursery owners who battle wildlife destruction will appreciate the product says Tom Levar the University of Minnesota forestry and horticultural specialist who did the research that led to the product In 2005 he was searching for treatment options for his wife s cancer when he learned about dimethyl sulfoxide DMSO used in veterinary and sports medicine to open pores in a membrane and move medicines through skin He used the same idea to develop the plant formulation to move chemicals through easily accessible plant pores Repellex did its own research with red pepper and obtained the first license to use Levar s discovery Levar is excited about the concept because it transposes technology from one field medicine to another horticulture In this case we don t have to genetically modify the plant We can push small molecules into the plant he says without any harmful side effects Levar is also hopeful that one day the technology can be used to add vitamins or helpful pharmaceuticals to fortify crops In my mind that s the highest end use Levar says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Repellex USA Inc P O Box 396 Niles Mich 49120 ph 877 737-3539; www repellex com or Tom Levar ph 218 720-4333; tlevar@nrri umn edu

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.