bleach spray

[b54red]

Originally Posted by socalgardengal

Here's my update un using bleach spray on Chayote squash that had Anthracnose. I sprayed 3 days ago both tops and undersides of leaves and the soil in the pot. Today all the larger leaves are dried up and falling off but the new smaller ones at the base of the plant are ok. No leaf burn or signs of disease. Should I cut the vines completely off, as there are no new leafs growing on them? I do have a back-up plant that's doing fine. Thanks

I like to go out and remove the dying or dead leaves a few days after the bleach spray to allow more room and a cleaner environment for the new growth. If you spray the bleach spray when a disease first makes its presence known you usually lose very few if any leaves but the longer a disease works on a plant the more severe the reaction to the spray will be. That is why I encourage people to use it sooner rather than later. Of course down here that means I have to use it rather frequently because new outbreaks of diseases pop up nearly every week with our oppressive humidity. Late in the summer and early fall we sometimes get a little break from the really high humidity and then the disease pressure lets up; but of course that is when spider mites start showing up in numbers along with their pals whiteflies.

Bill

[socalgardengal]

Thank you Bill! I'm gonna go ahead and chop the two vines off and see how it goes and I will use the spray much sooner now that I know what to expect.

[b54red]

The first time I used it on powdery mildew on squash I had allowed it to get to the point where only the very tips of the vines had any uninfected leaves. After I sprayed it looked like every leaf was dead but a few days later the new growth tips were growing fine and the plant was nearly full size again in a few weeks. I learned the hard way to use the spray sooner on my tomatoes also by letting some of them get Gray Mold on over 75% of the plant before I used it three years ago. I kept thinking the Daconil would slow it down and maybe it did but not nearly enough. Now as soon as I see the first sign of Gray Mold on tomatoes or any kind of mold or mildew on squash or cucumbers I spray right away. These squash plants in this picture had received three treatments when this picture was taken and they got another spraying on Monday. If I had not treated them they would have far fewer leaves. The early and quick treatment of diseases on squash, cucumbers and tomatoes has made a huge difference in how long my plants last. I'm a slow learner because I used to wait til the diseases got bad before using the treatment. Finally it dawned on me to use it early and often and the results of doing that have been so much better than delaying treatment.

Bill

[mecktom]

Which cooper spray do use?

Thanks Bill....

[Longlake]

Timely post...Thanks Bill! The bleach spray worked wonders against gray mold in my garden last year, especially on the black tomatoes (which seem most susceptible). I was able to catch it early and move beyond it with the loss of only a few leaves. Compared to prior years, that was a miracle

One question. I don't recall using a surfactant in the spray before, and wonder if that's new to the mix? Or maybe I just spaced it out last year. At any rate, I'll be sure to add it this year.

My garden thanks you!

ps - It'd sure be nice if this thread was a sticky, so it'd stay up where I can find it.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by mecktom

Which cooper spray do use?

Thanks Bill....

I use Southern Ag liquid copper fungicide concentrate which I get at Home Depot. Word to the wise after learning he hard way... Mix at the WEAKEST concentration, it's still very very effective. Stronger makes the leaves curl and stunt and it slows down growth for about 2 weeks. And you already know to only spray early AM or late afternoon.

Marsha

[b54red]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

I use Southern Ag liquid copper fungicide concentrate which I get at Home Depot. Word to the wise after learning he hard way... Mix at the WEAKEST concentration, it's still very very effective. Stronger makes the leaves curl and stunt and it slows down growth for about 2 weeks. And you already know to only spray early AM or late afternoon.

Marsha

Marsha, I'm new to using any copper spray and I started out with the weaker solution and it did nothing to slow down the Gray Mold outbreak so I went much stronger yesterday morning. I really haven't checked to see if it did any damage and it rained again today so it may be a moot point. I was really hoping it would work better than Daconil which has proven to be ineffective for me even when applied every week and after every rain. I guess I'll just have to count on the stronger mix of the bleach solution because it will definitely kill the Gray Mold but it doesn't do much to stop it coming back if I get a little rain. I was really hoping the copper spray would be more long term than it is proving to be.

Bill

[mashermike]

Bill,

Sorry if this question has been answered elsewhere ...

I'm in a weather pattern of almost daily rain. How much bleach is too much? How often can I spray?

Thanks,
Mike

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by b54red

Marsha, I'm new to using any copper spray and I started out with the weaker solution and it did nothing to slow down the Gray Mold outbreak so I went much stronger yesterday morning. I really haven't checked to see if it did any damage and it rained again today so it may be a moot point. I was really hoping it would work better than Daconil which has proven to be ineffective for me even when applied every week and after every rain. I guess I'll just have to count on the stronger mix of the bleach solution because it will definitely kill the Gray Mold but it doesn't do much to stop it coming back if I get a little rain. I was really hoping the copper spray would be more long term than it is proving to be.

Bill

Bill, it worked on my plants, but we are dryer here in the winter than we are in he humid summer, but our time to garden is fall and winter, and about half of spring. Can't be done in the rainy season, overnight temps don't get below 78* so no fruit will set. I find that I have to apply the copper spray about every 4-5 days when the season gets going. It's water soluble so I guess rain, morning dew will dilute it. Very sorry if I mislead you that it lasts a long time. I do find it very effective for most all my fungal foliage diseases, way better than Daconil on Septoria, which I had lots of this season just past. It seems like Fusarium doesn't affect me here much.
This fall I want to try your beach mix.

Marsha

[nnjjohn]

Say Red, I have an apply tree with leaves looking like fall leaves, little black spots and yellowish.. I was thinking maybe misting it with such of a solution you suggest. I fear it may be too late as the small 10ft tree leaves are all yellowing with tiny brown spots.I tried looking on youtube with no results..perhaps it is a type of fungus?

[FisherPrice]

Will this work for Powdery mildew on a squash plant?

[raindrops27]

Thank you Red, will see how it goes I sprayed the tomatoes yesterday when it looked overcast and then suddenly the sun came out.. Hope I didn't cause to much damage..

Will do the squash tomorrow morning.

[tammy]

I sprayed with with mancozeb a few days ago, then after it dried applied Copper dragon which is in a powder form. I went out yesterday and for the most part , the plants that looked healthy before still do, but the ones I was watching I did go ahead and pull (about 4). Out of almost 80 plants I am down to about 40. I noticed my new apple tree losing leaves as well. my roses have lost most of the leaves with flowers dying mid bloom and turning brown.
Tammy

[b54red]

Originally Posted by mashermike

Bill,

Sorry if this question has been answered elsewhere ...

I'm in a weather pattern of almost daily rain. How much bleach is too much? How often can I spray?

Thanks,
Mike

Mike I hate to be confusing but the frequency that it can be used depends on the conditions you are dealing with. I have sprayed with the regular mix several times a week with no problems and during rainy weather I will up the dose a bit and spray even more often because the diseases go rampant during those rainy spells down here. I sprayed some plants with Gray Mold twice in less than an hour and had no leaf burn on the new growth so I guess you could spray as often as you need. That is what I do. The worst thing you can do is wait too long to spray and allow the diseases to get too advanced.

I know that increasing the strength of the mix will get it to the point where it is harmful to healthy leaves; but that can vary according to weather conditions also. I recommend you go back to the first of this thread and start with the regular mix and if you get any leaf burn on new growth then cut the mix back a bit. If on the other hand you are dealing with Gray Mold or Septoria you may need to up the dose a bit for it to be more effective. I have found the spray to be most effective when sprayed late in the evening after the sun goes down. As you use the spray you will find what mix works best for your conditions so start a bit weaker and work up to the optimum concentration for the disease and conditions you are spraying under.

Bill

[b54red]

Originally Posted by FisherPrice

Will this work for Powdery mildew on a squash plant?

Yes; but you have to do it as soon as it starts or you will lose too many leaves.

I spray my squash plants weekly with it until the squash vine borers get bad and then what's the point.

Bill