Spinosad Shelf Life- Tips On Saving Them For A Long Time!

If you aren’t sure about the expiration date of spinosad, then it would be a huge problem for you. However, you’re missing out on a very good option to remove those annoying pests. 

So, is there any exact information on spinosad shelf life?

Well, spinosad has a shelf life of two-three years as a formula or liquid. The shelf life can increase to five years or more if it’s stored well. By stored well, we mean that it gets the proper light, heat, etc. The powder form of spinosad can have a shelf life of more than five years. To be exact, you can use it for up to ten years!

In this article, we’ve discussed not only the shelf life of spinosad but also what it is, how to store it to extend its shelf life, and some extra tips. If you’ve got time, check out our article.

Now let’s look into the specifics-

Some Basic Infos About Spinosad Insecticide

Before getting into the details, it’s essential that you know exactly what spinosad is. Just like, you need to know about what treated and untreated seeds are before choosing either one.

That’s why we’ve started with spinosad’s definition as we don’t want you to have any confusion later. You need to go through this before thinking about using spinosad in the garden of yours!

For starters, spinosad is a biological pesticide or insecticide. It is made by a soil bacterium that is harmful to insects. Two chemicals called- spinosyn A and spinosyn D were mixed in order to create this effective insecticide. 

Spinoside pesticides can kill aphids, thrips, leafminers, ants, fruit flies, and so on. It affects the nervous system of these unwanted insects. At first, the insects that come in touch with it lose control of their muscles. Then eventually within 1-2 days, they get paralyzed and die.

It’s quite horrifying, isn’t it? But you need to kill these stubborn pests in order to protect your plants and crops.

Since 1977, spinosad has been registered to be used in pesticides. This permission was granted by the US Environmental Protection Agency also known as EPA.

Some of you might have a question in your mind- if it’s so effective and a natural substance then why is spinosad banned?

Well, spinosad is not authorized for use with cannabis plants only by the Pest Control Products Act. However, you can use it in your indoor garden to protect other plants.

Now an interesting fact, you can also use spinosad to get rid of lice from your hair along with fleas from your pets!

Spinosad Shelf Life: How Long Will It Last?

Now that you’ve gone through what spinosad means, it’s time for the real question. How long does Spinosad shelf life last?

Usually, the spinosad insecticide lasts for about four weeks. So you can use this insecticide for a whole month without worrying. However, if you store it properly you can extend its shelf life up to 5 years.

The shelf life of spinosad can vary as there are different forms of the pesticide. If we talk about how many or what products contain spinosad. 

Well, to be specific, you can find spinosad in 21 products that are used in gardening. These products come in either liquid form or powder form. We’ve specified the shelf life according to the forms-

Although, the shelf life of spinosad may seem very straightforward. There’s a catch!

What if you don’t store the insecticide properly? Does spinosad go bad?

Yes, the shelf life of spinosad depends on how it is stored. It needs to be properly stored with the necessary amount of heat. Then the location also plays an important role. Otherwise, instead of being useful for a long time, it’ll eventually become unusable very quickly.

Tips On Storing Spinosad Properly: 3 Brilliant Hacks!

As we’ve mentioned before, it’s very important to store your spinosad products properly. Thus, you’ll need to know the necessary conditions that need to be maintained-

How About Controlling The Temperature?

If you keep your spinosad pesticides in an environment that doesn’t match the correct temperature then your product might lose its effectiveness. Therefore, you can use a modulating temperature control unit or a digital temperature controller. Here are some that we recommend you should use –

Most liquid pesticides involving spinosad need to be stored between 40-100 degrees Fahrenheit. And the freezing point of a pesticide is 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Also, if you didn’t know, your powder pesticide products aren’t affected by low temperatures as much as the liquid ones.

However, it’s essential to check the label or tag of the product. Because you can easily find the right temperature needed to store the products. 

What If You Can Avoid Damp Area?

While trying to store any kind of pesticides, it’s essential to choose an area that is not close to water sources. Why? 

Well, your dry pesticide can dissolve or form clumps. And eventually, you won’t be able to use it. Sometimes due to the container getting wet, the label can become unreadable which is pretty risky. 

Because you might forget the instructions and would want to read them again. But if the label is wet then it’ll be impossible to read what’s on it.

Let’s Try the Upper Shelf, Shall We?

Spinosad is an insecticide, so you might want to check the spinosad safety data sheet to see if it’s harmful or not.

Relax! Because we’ve got you covered. Spinosad is considered a natural pesticide so it won’t harm you or your family like it harms caterpillars, thrips, leafminers, etc.

But it’s important to keep it out of the reach of children. On that note, you need to place it on the higher shelf. In this case, you can use a 5 tier adjustable shelf like Whitmor Black Supreme.

Also, make sure you store it in the original container to avoid people mistaking it for something else. 

What to Do If Spinosad Is at the End of Its Shelf life?

Yup, even after all the grooming your spinosad product can run out of its lifespan. But fear not dear friend! We won’t let you face a loss. And that’s why we’ve discussed some very important points. These will give the idea of how you can avoid spinosad getting to its limit.

How to Use Spinosad In the Garden?

Source: https://www.epicgardening.com/

You can easily extend the shelf life of spinosad if you use it properly. And don’t worry, it’s not a hard process! So, let’s take a look at the usage guidance-

• Read the label to know the cautions and instruction 
• Wear gloves for your safety. I mostly use the Med Pride Medical Vinyl Examination Gloves for its thick and heavy-duty resilience.
• Apply 4 tablespoons of spinosad per gallon of water and mix thoroughly
• Shake a little before applying the pesticide 
• Spray on both the lower and upper part of the plant foliage
• Turn off your grow light before applying spinosad to avoid losing its effectiveness
• Don’t use spinosad when the bees around you are active
• Don’t use unless there are pests on your plant
• Don’t use more than 3 gallons of spray in your vegetable garden

So, buddy, these are some of the dos and don’ts that you should follow while using spinosad. Trust us, these aren’t that hard to maintain. And you’ll surely get good results if we take these rules of ours.

Important Tips: Thank Us Later!

We’ve gone through all the details but still, a little more information won’t do any harm right?

So for that reason, we’ve arranged this segment. You’ll definitely find the tips we’ve provided useful in the long run. Because these will make you aware of things you didn’t know!

For example, knowing the differences between rock phosphate and bone meal can help you choose the suitable one for you easily.

Now, to make things easier for you, we’ve gathered some tips for extending spinosad shelf life-

• Even after storing it properly, your old spinosad product can freeze-up. For that, you’ll need to warm it up and shake it a bit before using it again.
• After opening the product, you’ve to tightly seal it. By doing this, you can extend the shelf life a little more. If the lid is tightly closed then the air can’t damage your product.

You need to keep these tips in mind if you consider buying spinosad pesticides. Now where to buy spinosad from?

It might be difficult for you to buy a good spinosad product if you aren’t familiar with it. There are lots of stores that sell spinosad. You can also find it online. 

You’ll find a lot of spinosad brand names while trying to buy one. So, things might get tricky for you.

However, as it’s our duty to help you, that’s why we’ve recommended some of the most useful spinosad pesticide products to protect your indoor garden-

These are some of the important tips you’ll need regarding spinosad. You’ll be highly benefited by these!

FAQs

Does spinosad break down in sunlight?

Yes, spinosad does break down in sunlight. When you use spinosad spray or dust on the dry affected leaves, half of the pesticide gets absorbed quickly. The other half breaks down and falls on the soil because of the sunlight. So, it’s better to use it when the sunlight isn’t extreme.

Can spinosad become unusable?

Well, like every other pesticide, it does go bad. That’s why storing it properly is necessary. If you see that the liquid has separated from the other elements or the powder has become clumpy then you can’t use it anymore. However, adding moisture to it will protect it from getting worse.

Is spinosad safe for humans?

Even though spinosad is very toxic to insects, it’s not that toxic to humans. It’s low in toxicity when it comes to humans or mammals. But, you still need to wear gloves when you’re using it. Because it can cause irritation if it touches your skin.

Conclusion

Well, that’s all we had on the spinosad shelf life. We hope you got the necessary information you needed. If that’s the case then let us know your thoughts on the article.

Did you understand how to store your spinosad product to increase its shelf life?

Do let us know by commenting below! Thank you for your patience and happy gardening!