Spraying Dilemma

Grub · February 1, 2006

I usually spray Daconil mixed with Pyrethrum concentrate about fortnightly if there's no heavy rain. Seems to work well for me at keping some EB at bay and stopping grubs and helping quell the fruit fly.

If I spray this mix in hot weather it can create a small brown burn area on the bottom of the fruit. I have seen this happen before.

On the pyrethrum it says don't spray in weather over 25C. Well, all our days are +25C. And I can't spray at night. And the plants are due for it.

Any ideas? I might just have to bite the bullet and spray regardles of the high temps. Grub

Suze · February 1, 2006

Grub,

I do a Daconil/pyrethrin mix too (to control spider/russet mites, and early blight of course). The product I use is PyGanic (a 5% pyrethrin/95% inert solution) and I mix at the lowest recommended rate of 1.5 teaspoons per gallon.

I don't have any days in summer that are below 25C (~77F) either. And not many evenings or mornings, unless I were to get up at 3:00 am to spray, and I'm just not going to do that.

But I think it's important to try and only use pyrethrins and/or the Daconil/pyrethrin mix when the sun is off the plants *and* it's below 85F (~30C) or so. That generally works well for me without burning the plants -- just my experience.

Also, what's the percentage concentration of your mix and at what ratio are you mixing it with water -- maybe you could use just a bit less and still get good results?

barkeater · February 1, 2006

Grub, you have to spray then either at sunset, or before 6-7 am when it will be cloudy/foggy until 10. Temperatures are accentuated by sunlight. It would be safer to spray at higher temperatures at sunset than lower temperatures early morning if the temps and sun rise before the spray mix dries. Hope this helps.

PS If it is that hot with low humidity, spraying probably wouldn't be necessary anyway. I don't know your climate, but basically humidity is everything.

Grub · February 1, 2006

Hi Snooze and Barky,

i use about 2.5ml/100ml of Daconil mixed with Pyrethrum which I buy for $10-$14 a 200ml bottle depending on where I can be bothered shopping (up the road or the mall) Active Constituents: 4g/L pyrethrins, 16g/L piperonyl butoxide (whatever that is).

How To Apply: Dilute according to directions 25ml/1ltr of water. Apply as a fine spray to plant foliage. The withholding period (time between the last spray and picking) for fruit and vegetables is only one day.

I use an 8ltr sprayer and therefore dump the whole 200ml of Pyrethrum on the patch fortnightly. $$$$$$$$$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But money's not the issue... This stuff really does work for me.

Y'know it's just so hot and HUMID here that upon walking to work my head was dripping, my clothes were stuck to me, and there was a heavy fog hanging in the air that made breathing difficult. Blue skies now and 35C.

I will spray late this afternoon before dark. Thanks for the tip as it would indeed be too hot during the day to leave the stuff on the fruit were I to spray in the morning. And with the humidity it wouldn't dry. Ta Grub

barkeater · February 1, 2006

grub, if it makes you feel any better, spraying right after sunset (at dusk) will protect bees and all other beneficial insects. I was a full-time vegetable farmer 15 years and would only spray at sundown or in calm, cloudy mornings before 7 am local time for maxi mum effectiveness against insects AND especially, diseases.

Grub · February 2, 2006

Actually, it does make me feel better Barkeater, because my garden is a constantly buzzing with bees. They are a gorgeous blue-striped native bees that just love the Rose Quartz Multiflora. If I saved seeds unbagged from everything in my patch I would have 50 crosses with RQM

February 1, 2006	#1
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Spraying Dilemma I usually spray Daconil mixed with Pyrethrum concentrate about fortnightly if there's no heavy rain. Seems to work well for me at keping some EB at bay and stopping grubs and helping quell the fruit fly. If I spray this mix in hot weather it can create a small brown burn area on the bottom of the fruit. I have seen this happen before. On the pyrethrum it says don't spray in weather over 25C. Well, all our days are +25C. And I can't spray at night. And the plants are due for it. Any ideas? I might just have to bite the bullet and spray regardles of the high temps. Grub

February 1, 2006	#4
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Spraying Hi Snooze and Barky, i use about 2.5ml/100ml of Daconil mixed with Pyrethrum which I buy for $10-$14 a 200ml bottle depending on where I can be bothered shopping (up the road or the mall) Active Constituents: 4g/L pyrethrins, 16g/L piperonyl butoxide (whatever that is). How To Apply: Dilute according to directions 25ml/1ltr of water. Apply as a fine spray to plant foliage. The withholding period (time between the last spray and picking) for fruit and vegetables is only one day. I use an 8ltr sprayer and therefore dump the whole 200ml of Pyrethrum on the patch fortnightly. $$$$$$$$$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But money's not the issue... This stuff really does work for me. Y'know it's just so hot and HUMID here that upon walking to work my head was dripping, my clothes were stuck to me, and there was a heavy fog hanging in the air that made breathing difficult. Blue skies now and 35C. I will spray late this afternoon before dark. Thanks for the tip as it would indeed be too hot during the day to leave the stuff on the fruit were I to spray in the morning. And with the humidity it wouldn't dry. Ta Grub

February 2, 2006	#6
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Bees Actually, it does make me feel better Barkeater, because my garden is a constantly buzzing with bees. They are a gorgeous blue-striped native bees that just love the Rose Quartz Multiflora. If I saved seeds unbagged from everything in my patch I would have 50 crosses with RQM

February 1, 2006	#2
Suze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,027	Grub, I do a Daconil/pyrethrin mix too (to control spider/russet mites, and early blight of course). The product I use is PyGanic (a 5% pyrethrin/95% inert solution) and I mix at the lowest recommended rate of 1.5 teaspoons per gallon. I don't have any days in summer that are below 25C (~77F) either. And not many evenings or mornings, unless I were to get up at 3:00 am to spray, and I'm just not going to do that. But I think it's important to try and only use pyrethrins and/or the Daconil/pyrethrin mix when the sun is off the plants and it's below 85F (~30C) or so. That generally works well for me without burning the plants -- just my experience. Also, what's the percentage concentration of your mix and at what ratio are you mixing it with water -- maybe you could use just a bit less and still get good results?

February 1, 2006	#3
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	Grub, you have to spray then either at sunset, or before 6-7 am when it will be cloudy/foggy until 10. Temperatures are accentuated by sunlight. It would be safer to spray at higher temperatures at sunset than lower temperatures early morning if the temps and sun rise before the spray mix dries. Hope this helps. PS If it is that hot with low humidity, spraying probably wouldn't be necessary anyway. I don't know your climate, but basically humidity is everything.