In what order should sprays be applied? Spray Schedule...

[Dewayne mater]

This is one the best questions I've seen in a while! To me, determining when to use the various tools in the arsenal is one of the most complex and important decisions. Sometimes, its obvious. If you have something raging, you must attack that first. Example, if you spot mold, particularly a black mold, you must attack that first as it will spread and spread fast. In fact, it has already spread far beyond where it is visible. I've been following Bill's method of bleach spray when that type of issue arises. On the other hand, if you have a leaf or two with some early signs of early blight, but, you've got a serious infestation of some sort, you probably want to attack the bugs first.

The harder part is when you've got both issues and both are of a similar level of concern. I've seen Bill's answer and it confirms what I've been doing, which was just by my own trial and error. If you have disease and insect issues, attack disease first with bleach, followed by fungicide. Then come back to get the insects.

This year, for disease I've twice used a combination spray of liquid copper and mancozeb. In spite of what has been by all accounts the wettest coolest Spring in many years, disease has not been a major problem. I feel like pruning was a key in this regard, but, the tomatoes I grow in earthtainers are not pruned anything like my ground tomatoes that are on strings and pruned to 2 or 3 vines per plant. From visible appearances, I believe the mancozeb sticks to leaves better and longer than Daconil and works in similar way - by occupying the leaf surface to keep diseases from attaching. I wonder if anyone else has a similar (or different) opinion about mancozeb?

Finally - on spraying and using protection, I wear long pants, long sleeved shirts, gloves, a hat and a bandana. I'm sure a respirator is better, but, a bandana is fairly effective. Also, try not to spray when it is windy. That does more than anything to keep it off of you and get things where they need to be.

Dewayne

PS - In addition to the things you spray with, I also use Spinosad (first before pyrethrin or permthrein). It is fairly effective and organically acceptable. Pretty effective when used at routine intervals. You have to use it often enough to break the life cycle of the pest(s) in question.

[decherdt]

I have read that 2" rain is considered to have washed off any protective spray. I try to keep some BT or Spinosad on the leaves in rotation for hornworms and thrips. Even with 4 ft spacing and leaf pruning, Early Blight and Gray Mold are a bigger problem over here. Mancozeb/Dithane seems to work better for me, especially for Gray Mold on black tomatoes, not sure about longer, maybe so. It's 5 day PHI can interfere with harvest. I did spray bleach water every day last week in between rains, then just let them dry out on Sat, picked everything with any color and sprayed Dithane w/ copper & BT on Sun. Can harvest again on Friday. Good thing that the plants are 5-8 ft tall, not many leaves left underneath. This did get me to reading up on it. Sulfur (M2), Copper (M1), Mancozeb (M3) and Daconil (M5) are all group M "multisite protective contact" fungicides, sharing those characteristics. Each does something different to the fungus, I think I'm seeing that M3 and M5 both bind thiol groups, and that maybe M3 also interrupts fungal cellular respiration, or just does it better.

http://plant-pest-advisory.rutgers.e...c-codes-m1-m9/
http://www.arec.vaes.vt.edu/alson-h-...fungicides.pdf

[Cole_Robbie]

I discovered whiteflies in my high tunnel, and sprayed Met52 for the first time the day before yesterday. I have noticed a few on my outdoor plants, plus a couple plants have serious potato beetle damage. Tonight, everything will get Met52. I may end up buying more of it.

It occurred to me that since Met52 is a fungal spore, bleach will kill it. In fact, I would guess any fungicide would kill it. I am not going to spray any bleach until I get the whiteflies under control. The Met52 takes a few days to start working.

[fonseca]

I had a whitefly outbreak on my kale and cabbage this Spring. Neem knocked their numbers out multiple times, but they slowly came back. I sprayed Spinosad the past two weekends, and it looks like they may finally be gone. Even better, I no longer see earwigs on my plants at night, those guys are pernicious. I was skeptical but Spinosad appears to be very effective for certain pests. Fingers crossed for cabbage looper, I've got lots of moths laying eggs daily, but haven't seen any caterpillars since I first applied. Now if I could get a similar product for slugs...

Has anyone tried Serenade?

Serenade Garden is made from a unique, patented strain (QST 713) of Bacillus subtilis. Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713 penetrates and destroys the disease pathogen, but does not harm beneficial insects or wildlife when used according to label directions.

I know that Bacillus subtilis is a common soilborne bacterium, and included in popular inoculants like EM-1. I wonder how that would perform against early and late blight instead of the copper fungicide I purchased, which I am not keen on using.

[MrSalvage]

I found this post and i thought it was an interesting question...

Link: http://www.tomatoville.com/newreply....reply&p=266684

Originally Posted by RebelRidin

Tank mix Danconil with carbaryl or permethrin?

In a response to a question at a Texas A&M ag extension site at:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/a...es/tomat2.html
they indicate that Daconil can be tank mixed with common garden insecticides. Wondering if anyone here has any specific experience with this?


"Q. I planted the tomato varieties which you recommended and they are loaded with tomatoes. Now the leaves are beginning to turn yellow, then brown, then die from the bottom of the plant. What should I do; will this kill my plants?

A. You and everybody growing tomatoes are having the same problem. Tomato plants are developing brown spots on the lower foliage. This is the result of a fungus infecting the foliage causing a disease known as early blight. Early blight is an annual problem for most gardeners. It normally develops into a problem when plants have a heavy fruit set and the area has received rainfall. Spores from the fungus are spread to the lower foliage by wind and splashing rain. Leaves must be wet for infection to occur. At 50 degrees F. the leaves must be wet for 12 hours for infection, but at temperatures above 59 degrees F., the length of time for infection is only 3 hours. Leaf spot development is most severe during periods of cloudy days and high humidity. To control the fungus, foliage applications of a fungicide must be made every 7 days until moist conditions (dew included!) no longer exist. Applications should begin when the first fruit is slightly larger than a quarter. Chlorothalonil (Ortho Multipurpose Fungicide or Fertilome Broad Spectrum Fungicide) and mancozeb hydroxide (Kocide 101) are fungicides used on tomatoes for early blight. The copper fungicides also are affective against the foliage and fruit-infecting bacterial pathogens. Benlate (Greenlight Systemic Fungicide) should also be added every second spray application to prevent Septoria leaf spot. All listed fungicides can be mixed with insecticides or other fungicides except the copper-based materials (Kocide). The copper fungicides have a high pH which will reduce the life of many insecticides and some fungicides. Kocide is the only effective organic control for this pestilence. "

Does anyone mix?

[MrSalvage]

Which brand of Spinosad do you use?

Bonide: Captain Jack's Deadbug Brew Concentrate
or
Monterey: Garden Insect Spray

I really don't see any other options in this neck of the woods...

[MrSalvage]

Is blackstrap molasses considered to be better than regular molasses?

[BigVanVader]

I sprayed Monterey: Garden Insect Spray yesterday evening for caterpillars and thrips. I will let y'all know how well it worked.

Edit: also if you grow in the ground and use copper consider this.http://www.regional.org.au/au/asssi/...vanzwieten.htm

[fonseca]

I started with Capt Jack's, but after using up that pre-mixed bottle, I ordered a quart of Monterey concentrate. Per online discussions, it seems both brands purchase the active ingredient from the same source, and since the concentrations are the same I imagine results are also similar.

Originally Posted by MrSalvage

Is blackstrap molasses considered to be better than regular molasses?

Yes! Assuming you are using it as a foliar feed or soil drench, blackstrap is much higher in mineral content. I happen to have three grades right here. A comparison of the labelled % Daily Values per tablespoon:

-Regular molasses
Calcium: 2%
Magnesium: 2%
Iron: 2%
Vitamin B6: NA

-Full Flavor molasses
Calcium: 8%
Magnesium: 8%
Iron: 2%
Vitamin B6: NA

-Blackstrap molasses
Calcium: 10%
Magnesium: 8%
Iron: 15%
Vitamin B6: 10%

A lot of Hi-Brix fertilizers are mostly molasses.

[decherdt]

No rain in a week! Picked all the ripest toms then sprayed bleach water at dusk. Probably go with daconil + BT tomorrow morning. Probably have to hook up some soaker hoses too.

[Lindalana]

Originally Posted by fonseca

I had a whitefly outbreak on my kale and cabbage this Spring. Neem knocked their numbers out multiple times, but they slowly came back. I sprayed Spinosad the past two weekends, and it looks like they may finally be gone. Even better, I no longer see earwigs on my plants at night, those guys are pernicious. I was skeptical but Spinosad appears to be very effective for certain pests. Fingers crossed for cabbage looper, I've got lots of moths laying eggs daily, but haven't seen any caterpillars since I first applied. Now if I could get a similar product for slugs...

Has anyone tried Serenade?



I know that Bacillus subtilis is a common soilborne bacterium, and included in popular inoculants like EM-1. I wonder how that would perform against early and late blight instead of the copper fungicide I purchased, which I am not keen on using.

I have used Serenade and found it to be mildly helpful. Area where I garden has 2 main problems for tomatoes- early blight and Septoria. Early blight seems to be mostly under control after I started using mycorrhizae with root application. Septoria is coming, I see bunch of weeds being infested already. Am using Microbe life second year- so far loving the product.

[Lindalana]

If I were using any of heavier insecticides/ pesticides I would use HEAVY protection. If you smell it- you inhaled it. Mask, gloves, long sleves etc. There is no reason not to be safe.
So far I like using my microbes though.

[Cole_Robbie]

My stepdad took the state's spray license course. He came home with the fun fact that the place on the body that absorbs chemicals through the skin the most is one's pubic area. So if you are spraying chemicals and have to go to the bathroom, wash your hands first.

[decherdt]

Since some rain was forecast, I added AgriFos to this morning's Daconil + BT.

[MrSalvage]

Originally Posted by decherdt

I have read that 2" rain is considered to have washed off any protective spray.

This is great info thanks! I was certainly wondering if i was washing one off for another. Do you remember where you read that at?

Originally Posted by decherdt

BT or Spinosad

Whats the difference? I have both of these now in my arsenal. However I have read somewhere here on TV that Spinosad has replaced BT. Maybe it was worded as the new BT.

Hey thanks for your time...

Bill