They claim that this stuff, when sprayed on trees, keeps all animals from browsing for up to 6 months including the winter. The active ingredients are blood meal (99.84%) and vegetable oil (0.16%). Is it correct to assume the purpose of the vegetable oil is to act as a surfactant? If so, would a solution containing a commercially available surfactant (ie Cide Kick) and off-the-shelf blood meal be a viable substitute?
Plantskydd
- Thread starter wysiwyg
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I think what you're suggesting might work,but as for 6 months, I doubt it. We use it on our city rosebeds to keep the deer from munching everything,and we reapply every week.Of course, we also irrigate regularly which washes it away. It absolutely reeks.
M.D. Vaden
vadenphotography.com
Reeks between applications, or just during applications?
I bought some blood meal and tried to dissolve it in water, but it absolutely won't do it. I tried heating it up with no effect. It's the consitency of coffee grounds and sinks to the bottom of the container - the water remains perfectly clear.
Booshcat
ArboristSite Operative
TRy dissolving it in the vegetable oil??
I tried veg oil, water with high PH (based on info from another forum), and putting it through a blender. The first two had no effect, but the blender at least made the water cloudy after the blood meal settled to the bottom.
Try www.greergardens.com they sell Plantskydd in a soluble powder form. I just did a search for you, I've never tried the powder myself. I see you are both in Oregon.
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JamesJems
ArboristSite Member
Spray and Run!
I've used both the spray bottle stuff and the mix it yourself power form of Plantskyyd. The stuff is totally vile, but it really works. the deer don't come near it for about three weeks here in rainy Washington. I found that the liquid form smells the worst when it's had a chance to fester for a couple of weeks in a previously opened bottle.
The mix it yourself powder form isn't nearly so bad. Cheaper too. It's the only thing that works around here. I swear by it.
When the nozzle clogs, run it under hot tap water and spray hot water through it until it clears. It will.
As for your homemade version, well, if you're having trouble, stick with the brand name powdered form. Cheaper by far (but probably not cheaper than the DIY version)
james
I've used both the spray bottle stuff and the mix it yourself power form of Plantskyyd. The stuff is totally vile, but it really works. the deer don't come near it for about three weeks here in rainy Washington. I found that the liquid form smells the worst when it's had a chance to fester for a couple of weeks in a previously opened bottle.
The mix it yourself powder form isn't nearly so bad. Cheaper too. It's the only thing that works around here. I swear by it.
When the nozzle clogs, run it under hot tap water and spray hot water through it until it clears. It will.
As for your homemade version, well, if you're having trouble, stick with the brand name powdered form. Cheaper by far (but probably not cheaper than the DIY version)
james
On the Plantskydd website, the mixing instructions include the step of filtering the solution through cheese cloth. How much of the commercial powder does not dissolve? Is the final liquid (sprayable) solution a deep red color that you can't see through or does it just tint the water red?
JamesJems
ArboristSite Member
oh, it's deep red. All the way through. Looks like blood, smells like death.
