peach spray program for home use

I have been all over the internet searching for a spray program that lists what to spray, when to spray and actually lists things I can find to buy for my peaches. So far I have found I need to spray several times for fungus/insects but all I can find in stores are combination neem/pyrethrin products that are not listed on the spray programs. I can find lots of things recommended for commercial use on the internet, but little for home use. I have contacted the extension office and they are going to send me a brochure, but my peaches are almost in bloom. I have sprayed sulfur once. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Dependent on your pest problem, Dormant oil , lime and sulphur in the winter, endo sulphan on the trunk and on the ground around the tree for peach borers, summer insects and fungi home orchard spray beginning with blossom drop and repeating at 14 day intervals. Endosulphan in late August.

I am just starting this year, so I am not sure I have a problem, but from what I've read some of the problems are inevitable--I am just trying to do some basic preventative spraying--UGA has brochures for home growing but they only list the problems, not how to prevent them--some of them I can attack when and if they come, but I think fungus may be easier to prevent--I was not sure how effective Neem oil would be--the lime sulphur was one thing I asked for and the person looked at me like I had two heads--I think I need to find a co-op that would have a broader selection

In the past I have gotten it at Lowes and local seed and feeds. Ditto with home orchard spray, which is most important for preventing wormy fruit and brown rot. Most places in Georgia you will have problems with the lesser peach borers, but you can wait until you see the gummy subtance oozing from the trunk.

Neem is about worthless on peaches, don't bother with it. Copper and oil is good as a dormant spray; it is a bit better than lime/sulphur and oil (which is also good). Once you get fruit you will need to spray an insecticide and something to control brown rot. Endosulphan will probably be banned soon and I wouldn't recommend that. Permethrin is an alternative which is effective against the bugs. Those fruit tree sprays usually only have Sevin and/or malathion in them which may not be strong enough against the bugs, but on the other hand it may work for you. You can always try it out and see. They also usually contain Captan which will be a bit of a help against brown rot disease. A much better control for brown rot is Immunox. I am an organic grower but the things you need to grow peaches organically are unfortunately not readily available these days. Note that until you get fruit you may not need to do anything besides the dormant spray; the main bug pests go for the fruit only.

Scott

I have read latex paint on the trunk and Bt are effective against borers--hopefully this is true because they are relatively benign--I will look for immunox--the neem/pyrethrin will work for the bugs then (even if the neem is not effective for the fungus it can't hurt and this is one product I could find that has something effective for the bugs) thanks!

I don't yet have any trees that need to be sprayed. However, I have been looking at "Surround" for when I do. Does anyone use it, and find it effective?
http://tiny.cc/rb6Dk
I first saw it touted 2-3 years ago at ediblelandscaping.com, and since then I have seen it MUCH cheaper elsewhere online.

Darius, could you list a couple of these sites for Surround? High shipping costs have deterred me from trying it so far.

Yes... as soon as I get files loaded back on my computer. (At least I THINK I have notes about suppliers.) My laptop just came back from the "hospital" today, where it was completely rebuilt... even the case is new! Right now it only has a system, so I have LOTS of work to do to have it running like I want (and with all the programs I want).

You may have to remind me in a week or two.

Thanks

I have had good luck with Surround to control the plum curculio. You need to watch the trees and make sure they are always coated; a light rain won't do much but you need to get out and spray again right after a heavy rain. It also helps some with the moths, but the stuff is messy enough that for moths I am going to use spinosad and mating disruption only this year. The shipping is the biggest problem with buying Surround, its heavy and you will pay a lot. For me in Maryland I found 7 springs gives me the best price including shipping.

Scott

PS Rah, the neem/pyrethrin will do little for the bugs. If it worked, commercial organic growers would be using it. It doesn't, and they aren't. If you want something lower impact use the Surround mentioned above and use spinosad for the moths. Spinosad is available as Monterey Garden Insect Spray for the backyard grower.


This message was edited Mar 5, 2009 8:28 AM

okay--I will see about those--I got something with recs from the extension office today--looks like Immunox and then a variety of different insect controls are what they recommend--with a dormant oil applied late in winter--

one more beginner question--it lists sulfur several places but says not to use if temp >90--does this mean temp >90 at application or temp >90 for several days following--if it is the latter, pretty much means sulfur is out for the summer (which is fine because you said the immunox works, but just for my info)
thanks again, becky

Becky, the sulphur recommendation is about application time only. I have seen it variously as 85 or 90F. Also you should not spray sulphur and oil closer than two weeks from each other as the combination is bad for leaves.

Scott

thanks for telling me that--it looks like the extension office has it backwards--they say you can mix the oil and sulphur but not oil and copper--you are the second person on here that said don't mix the sulphur and oil--glad I didn't have any oil when I sprayed mine! good to know it is about application time only--I just wasn't sure because it stays on the leaves so I didn't know
why it would matter if it was cooler when you applied it if it was still there when it got hot

thanks!
Becky

I know you can't mix oil and captan, which is why I'm wary about mixing oil with anything.

But iirc the rules are different in dormant spraying and after the trees have leafed out.

Lois, I have done a search now that I have re-loaded my files. I cannot find the Surround information; I may have included it in some forgotten other-named file. Sorry. It is possible it was 7 Springs, as I go over there 2-3 times a year for amendments.

Thanks, Darius.