Merit 75 WP - Questions & Answers

With a systemic application of a product like Merit to the root zone, it can take a couple of weeks for a large to tree to complete aborb and have the ingredients translocate all the way through the plant. Some borers once they have started damage to a tree do such quick harm to it that the tree cannot be salvaged or saved even with the strongest insecticides. Below is a link to information on the bronze birch borer and the average timing, life cycle and treatments that can be used. 

 

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/bronze-birch-borer/

Apply 3 to 4 level teaspoons of MERIT 75 WP per 1000 sq ft. The amount of water you use will be up to you, though we recommend using at least 2 gallons of water per 1000 sq ft. Apply as a broadcast treatment and incorporate into the soil. When the application is made to established plants, optimum control will be attained if area is irrigated thoroughly after application. Complete instructions can be found on page 4 of the product label.

Merit 75 WP can be used to treat for pecan phylloxera but per the product label, it should be applied as a foliar spray.  You will apply at the rate of 0.25 tsp per 2 gallons of water.  Two applications, 10-14 days apart may be necessary.  Per the product label, apply before infestations become severe for best results.  

Japanese Beetles feed on grass roots until late September when cool soil temperatures cause larvae to move downward into the soil to overwinter. Development is completed the following spring. One generation occurs each year. It is important to start treatment prior to egg hatch. For optimum control when apply Merit 75 WP, irrigation or rainfall needs to occur within 24 hours of the application to move the product through the thatch layer and into the soil. Please refer to the product label for complete application instructions. You can contact your local cooperative extension office to see when egg hatch normally occurs in your region. 

 

Soil drench applications of Merit 75 WP  should be done yearly.  Whether or not you should use it as a foliar spray will depend on what specific beetle you’re treating for.  You can find a full list of pests and application methods on the product label .  

Merit 75 WP is labeled for the treatment of leafminers on turfgrass, ornamentals, trees, shrubs, flowers, groundcovers, and in and around commercial or residential buildings. You will need 0.7-1.4 level teaspoons per foot of shrub height diluted into at least 10 gallons of water per 1000 sq ft of ground directed at the root base. If the height of the shrub is 5 ft, then you will need 3.5 - 7 level teaspoons of Merit diluted into at least 10 gallons of water, all directed at the root base. If you have more than 1000 sq ft of ground around the root base, the amount of Merit will stay the same but you will use more water to ensure thorough and even coverage. The amount of Merit (3.5 - 7 teaspoons) is determined by how bad your problem is.  If you have an existing problem now that you have not treated before, you should use the higher concentration of Merit which is the 7 teaspoons.  If you are doing maintenance and do not have a current issue you could use the 3.5 teaspoon amount in 10 gallons of water.

To use Merit 75 WP on a tree that size, you would need to use 0.7 to 1.4 level teaspoons of the powder per inch of trunk diameter in sufficient water to dilute the product thoroughly and drench the root system. So, you would need 9.28 - 18.55 teaspoons (1.55 - 3.1 oz) for that tree, per the product label. You will probably use at least 5 gallons of water to treat a tree that size. You should also keep the treated area wet for 7-10 days after treatment.

Merit 75 WP - 2 oz. jar application all depends on what you are treating for. For Example: You want to use 4 teaspoons Merit 75 per 1,000 square feet to treat for Chinch bugs.

Your pets should be out of the yard while you are applying the Merit. Your pets can return to the area after the surface of the grass is completely dry, usually after about 5-6 hours.

Please contact your local cooperative extension office to determine the correct timing of the application as this will vary greatly from region to region.  Per the product label for Merit 75 WP: Application to trees already heavily infested may not prevent the eventual loss of the trees due to existing pest damage and tree stress.  Since it can take up to 8 weeks to translocate it can take time to kill the larvae and works best applied before an infestation.

Merit 75 WP is actually not measured by a per gallon mark, but it is calculated based on the diameter of a tree you are treating or the height of the shrubs.  In your case, you need 0.7-1.4 level teaspoons per foot of shrub height diluted into at least 10 gallons of water per 1000 sq ft of ground directed at the root base. If the height of the shrub is 5 ft, then you will need 3.5 - 7 level teaspoons of Merit diluted into at least 10 gallons of water, all directed at the root base. If you have more than 1000 sq ft of ground around the root base, the amount of Merit will stay the same but you will use more water to ensure thorough and even coverage. The amount of Merit (3.5 - 7 teaspoons) is determined by how bad your problem is.  If you have an existing problem now that you have not treated before, you should use the higher concentration of Merit which is the 7 teaspoons.  If you are doing maintenance and do not have a current issue you could use the 3.5 teaspoon amount in 10 gallons of water.

Merit 75 WP should not be used in a vegetable garden or around other edible vegetation.

Merit 75 WP is not labeled for use on pumpkins, so we cannot give you an application rate to treat these plants.

Merit 75 WP  would be applied at the rate of 1.4 level teaspoons per inch of trunk diameter (D.B.H.) or 2 oz per 30 cumulative inches of trunk diameter (D.B.H.) as a soil drench around the base of the tree as directed on the product label.

Unfortunately there is no easy solution when it comes to pine beetles. Infected trees should be cut down (before the newly hatched beetles fly out of the trees in the spring/summer) and the wood burned or chipped, while other still healthy trees should be sprayed annually to protect them. Because of the natural boring behavior of the beetle they are protected from topically applied insecticides and systemic insecticides (those injected into the tree or applied as a root drench) have proven ineffective for pine beetle infestations. Healthy trees can be protected before the beetles attack by topically spraying them with a product called Tengard. The tree should be sprayed from the ground to 15 ft up the trunk to prevent future infestations.

When applying Merit 75 WSP as a soil drench applications to trees for Japanese Beetles, Leaf Beetles and other listed pests, it is applied at 1.6 oz (1 packet) Merit 75 WSP per 24 to 48 inches of cumulative trunk diameter. Using Merit 75 WP for the treatment of Aphids as a foliar spray, you mix 0.7 to 1.4 level teaspoons MERIT 75 WP Insecticide per foot of shrub height or 1 to 2 ounces per 30 cumulative feet of shrub height. Below is the recommended application dosage rates for Merit 75 WP MERIT 75 WP

(Level Measure)                       (Water)

0.25 tsp.                               2.5  Gallons

0.5 tsp.                                 5.0 Gallons

1 tsp.                                  10.0 Gallons

2.5 tsp.                               25.0 Gallons 

5 tsp.                                  50.0 Gallons

3 Tbsp. + 1 tsp.                  100.0 Gallons

Merit 75 WP - 2 oz. cannot be used to treat for spider mites on citrus. We recommend to Monterey Fruit Tree Spray.

How much Merit 75 WP you may need to use will depend on the type of plant you are treating (turf, ornamentals, trees, etc.). Keep in mind that this is a systemic product, so it is most important to use the correct amount of product for the area/size plants you are treating rather than a specific amount per gallon of water. You can view full application instructions on the product label here. If you would like to provide more information about your situation, then we would be happy to further assist you.

No, Merit 75 WP does not kill on contact. It is a slower acting product, and that would be the same for any product that had imidacloprid as the ative ingredient. 

Merit 75 Wp is safe to use on Bermuda Grass to treast chinch bugs. Please follow the Product label for instructions.

Merit 75 WP is labeled to control Japanese beetles as well as a large variety of other insects. Once dried, the product is safe for pets and people to be around, and any insects affected by the product should not harm your chickens if they eat them. You will mix the Merit at 3-4 teaspoons per 1000 sq/ft in 1-2 gallons of water.