Spraying tomatoes technique

[ScottinAtlanta]

Folks, I spray my toms regularly but as they grow, the time needed gets longer and longer. How important is it to spray the underside of leaves? That more than doubles the time to spray - but it seems to me that the spores are more likely to land on the top of the leaf.

Just how important is it to invest the time in spraying the underside?

[ContainerTed]

The underside is where most of the bad critters hang out. Aphids, thrips, and a long menu of others like to do their dirty work in the shade where they can't be easily seen by critters that eat them. Also, the underside is the last area that rain will wash off your spray. If you're time constrained, spray the undersides and leave the rest alone.

[kurt]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

Folks, I spray my toms regularly but as they grow, the time needed gets longer and longer. How important is it to spray the underside of leaves? That more than doubles the time to spray - but it seems to me that the spores are more likely to land on the top of the leaf.

Just how important is it to invest the time in spraying the underside?

Do not know if you have one but if not this is a must have for the garden.http://www.hydroponics.net/i/137347

[ScottinAtlanta]

I like that, but two liters? I usually go through 3-5 gallons for a complete spraying.

[kurt]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

I like that, but two liters? I usually go through 3-5 gallons for a complete spraying.

http://www.solousa.com/store/flypage...ollabout_.html

[RayR]

Scott. I see you are talking about spraying a fungicide. What product are we talking about spraying and against what pathogen(s)? If the pathogen attacks stems or fruit also, you gotta spray them too.

[b54red]

When I spray Daconil I only try to hit the tops of the leaves. If I am spraying with a copper fungicide or with the dilute bleach spray then I try to get all of the plant including stems and undersides of leaves.

Since I got my SP2 Systems backpack sprayer with the very high pressure spray I have cut way back on the amount of spray material used and on the time it takes to apply it. The high pressure fine mist just covers so much faster and with much less runoff and puddling on the leaves.

Bill

[nnjjohn]

by golly i do believe b54red's idea worked ..I only sprayed after a warm tropical rain that hit my plants with something and so I sprayed using a pump mist applicator i bought for 10.00 some time ago for bleaching weeds in my driveway.. anyway 4 cups bleach to a gallon of water and plants are looking much better two weeks after,cheers to b54red

[b54red]

Originally Posted by nnjjohn

by golly i do believe b54red's idea worked ..I only sprayed after a warm tropical rain that hit my plants with something and so I sprayed using a pump mist applicator i bought for 10.00 some time ago for bleaching weeds in my driveway.. anyway 4 cups bleach to a gallon of water and plants are looking much better two weeks after,cheers to b54red

That might be way too much bleach unless you have some that is a very weak concentration. I use 5 1/2 ounces of the new concentrated Clorox to a gallon of water or 7 to 8 ounces of the older Clorox bleach to a gallon.

I do go a bit stronger if the plants are very wet or if I am dealing with Late Blight.

Bill

[nnjjohn]

Originally Posted by b54red

That might be way too much bleach unless you have some that is a very weak concentration. I use 5 1/2 ounces of the new concentrated Clorox to a gallon of water or 7 to 8 ounces of the older Clorox bleach to a gallon.

I do go a bit stronger if the plants are very wet or if I am dealing with Late Blight.

Bill

I'll keep that in mind Bill,, It worked nonetheless.. I been giving tomatoes away because we eat them every day and they keep coming on.I still see at least a few bushels before eos

[Dewayne mater]

Bill

Do you use your SP2 sprayer to spray the diluted bleach spray? I have small solo spray that is nice, but, need to move up to more capacity and more PSI to get the job done better and faster. The SP2 looks like it has brass nozzles which would seem to have better durability than the plastic nozzle on the solo backpack sprayers. I'm hoping for a one sprayer for all spraying needs solution and that include diluted bleach spray. Fighting some serious grey mold right now!Thanks

Dewayne mater.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by Dewayne mater

Bill

Do you use your SP2 sprayer to spray the diluted bleach spray? I have small solo spray that is nice, but, need to move up to more capacity and more PSI to get the job done better and faster. The SP2 looks like it has brass nozzles which would seem to have better durability than the plastic nozzle on the solo backpack sprayers. I'm hoping for a one sprayer for all spraying needs solution and that include diluted bleach spray. Fighting some serious grey mold right now!Thanks

Dewayne mater.

I use the SP2 for all my spraying including the bleach spray. I love the good brass nozzles that I have to work with because those plastic wands and especially nozzles don't hold up very well. The plastic nozzles won't put out a good even spray for me.

I have a table that is just the right height for putting the full sprayer on my back. I just back up to it and slip my arms in the straps and go. It would be difficult to put on your back if it was very full and you didn't have it sitting up high on something so you could just slip it on.

Another trick I have learned with the backpack sprayer is to never set it up completely dry. I always rinse it and pump it up and let it run out the nozzle until it is showing low pressure then I release the trigger and put it up with about a gallon of clean water in it. The reason I put it up with the slight pressure still in it is so when I start the next time I never have any trouble getting the pump started. The first year I had it I would put it up dry with all pressure released and after about a year I had trouble getting the pump to start working when I started the next time. I haven't had any trouble with that for the last two years since I started putting it up with a little pressure still in the pump and some clean water in the tank. I also give the piston rod a little WD-40 ever few times I use it to keep the pump working smoothly. I have never had a sprayer last this long and didn't expect this one to last this long using as much of the bleach spray as I do.

Bill

[Barbee]

I have a homemade mister/blower for spraying
It gets the job done quick!

[Salsacharley]

Originally Posted by Barbee

I have a homemade mister/blower for spraying
It gets the job done quick!

WOW!

That is fantastic! How do spray at the upper levels with that?

Charley

[Barbee]

The tank is rechargable battery operated and the blower is gas powered. They are connected with hose that runs straight into the blower with a spray tip installed inside. Maybe these pics will help. The sprayer hose is about 6 ft long and the blower shoots the spray about 30 ft on full throttle. I just pull the cart wherever I need to go and it does a nice job.
I looked at the Stihl backpack misters but they are just too heavy for me to carry empty so I knew full of gas and solution would never work. This was a nice alternative.