Diatomaceous Earth (DE) Questions and Comments

[Chad the Chicken Man]

I am trying to find a local store in the madison, wi area that sells Diatomaceous Earth, i found several that sell it but they call it a "feed grade". I know everyone here on BYC say to make sure it is food safe for gardens. i was just wondering if this will work. i found some pretty good prices ranging from $19-$30. any feed back would be great, and also was wondering if anyone uses anything beside DE. like stalldry, or anything like that.
thanks for you comment in advance!!!
chad
Brooklyn, WI

 

[Brindlebtch]

From what I have read here the DE should be food grade for humans and not gardens. I don't know about 'feed' grade, but I expect it may not be the right stuff.

I have also read that people do use other things like stall dry and a couple of other products that work well.

I'm sure more knowledgable people will chime in.

 

[joletabey]

I admit I still don't understand the difference. I asked at the feed store about food grade, and the owner said its all the same thing. I would think that if you can sprinkle it around plants to kill slugs and it were dangerous to humans or kids or pets, the bag would have to say so? Or am I being incredibly ignorant? I know there have been other threads about this, which I am not good at finding- can someone cue us in? Pretty please?

 

[Chad the Chicken Man]

I also found a feed mill that is selling food CHEMICAL grade? what the chemical mean im not sure, its pretty scarey, i thought there was only two differnt kinds of DE. but the feed mill gave me the phone number for the company that makes it and the company said there is over 500 differnt combo around. pretty scarey stuff if you dont know what to get, which of course i dont!!!

 

[Chad the Chicken Man]

I found a website that makes me feel alot safer about the Diatomaceous Earth-Food/Chemical Codex Grade.

http://wolfcreekranch.net/diatomaceous_earth.html

Let me know what you guys think about what there saying, seems just right for what everyone is trying to do!!! and I found it for $19 for 50 pound bag!!! i think that is the cheapest i have ever herd!!

 

[Kotiya]

I think what matters is what else is mixed in with the DE. The DE itself isn't the problem - that's edible. I think the problem is that you don't often see a bag of pure DE. They mix in something else so the bag is bigger, heavier and we think we are getting *more*. I'm not an expert, but I did lots of web-serfing to figure that much out.

 

[Chad the Chicken Man]

From the Website

http://wolfcreekranch.net/diatomaceous_earth.html

DIATOMACEOUS EARTH CODEX FOOD/CHEMICAL GRADE - Diatomaceous earth is excellent for internal and external parasite control. Diatomaceous earth dehydrates insects such as fleas, ticks, ants, bed bugs, flies, worms, mites, etc. The mineral and silica content increase feed utilization. Reported to kill 75% of flies and fleas that come in contact with it within 72 hrs. Mixed with grains at a ratio of 2% keeps out pests. Diatomaceous earth is excellent for eliminating ants, aphids, flea beetles, fleas, earwigs, bed bugs, sowbugs, mites, etc. We use it diluted in water and painted on tree trunks to keep ants off our fruit trees. Can be applied as a foliar spray or sprayed in buildings or just lightly sprinkled in pest infested areas or compost/manure piles. Great for internal worming purposes for humans and animals. Helps detox heavy metals. Diatomaceous earth is a drying agent, and thus reduces odor and moisture in barns and stalls. Fed to animals daily, it keeps fly larvae from developing in manure, noticebly reducing the fly population. Added to livestock waterers, it keeps the algae from growing in the hot summer months.

We have fed DE free choice to all livestock (goats, llamas, chickens, peafowl, guineas), ranch humans, and dogs and cats daily since 1997. We also put "food grade" diatomaceous earth in our home made grain herb mixes that are fed daily. Most of our canines will eat DE free choice as well.

Overly toxic humans might experience a "healing crisis", as their system is detoxing too quickly, so it is suggested to start with a small dose and work up to the heaping tablespoon over a period of a few days or weeks, to help avoid this situation.

Do NOT use pool filter grade diatomaceous earth as it is chemically treated. Use only food grade diatomaceous earth internally or externally around humans, pets, and animals.

Some people are confused by our diatomaceous earth being rated as Codex Food Chemical Grade. The food grade rating tells you it is safe to consume orally. The chemical grade is given because DE acts like a chemical by simply dehydrating insects and can be used externally like a chemical pesticide would be used. It is not just for food type purposes. Organic farmers use it in their crops for bug control, as do people in their gardens. It won't harm birds, pets, and other animals as a chemical pesticide would.

 

[Gwen]

I have heard DE is bad for dogs. Don't know why. This article seems to say that isn't true.

 

[wildorchid053]

d/e is in two types.. one from fresh water in land lakes.. and the other is from salt water lakes.. that have dried up.. it is like little razor blades and slice worms.. slugs. ect.. food grade is safe to eat for human or animal... not food grade is full of salt and will kill ya. it can be ingested for internal parasites .. sprinkled on you or pets for pest control.. or put into your coops very lightly.. don't inhale it! not good for you.. i use it for deep litter method and my chickens dust bathe in it when mixed with sand or dirt.. go sparingly on it cause it really dries things out.. like the chicken poop in a coop.. gl.. there is also a post if you google it on deep litter method in byc

 

[z&awalter]

I live in Madison, WI & am curious which store you found this at for $19 a bag...

Thanks!!