Dormant Sprays

Lazylightningny

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Well, it's getting to be that time of year again. Pretty soon the leaves will drop, the temperatures will drop, and we'll be prepping our trees for winter storage. I'd like to start a discussion on winter dormant sprays, addressing the following questions:

1. Do you use dormant sprays at all? Why or why not?
2. What dormant sprays do you use? What is your dilution rate? Do you use a different one for going into dormancy vs. coming out of dormancy? Why or why not?
3. How do you feel about different types of dormant sprays? That is, do you use horticultural oils, lime sulfur, or fungicides? Why?
4. What precautions do you take? Are dormant sprays toxic to root systems? Do you protect the soil from the sprays? How? Do you flush the soil after?

Any other comments on this subject are welcome. If it goes well enough, we can make a resource out of it.
 

Dav4

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I've used dormant oils on my conifers for years, in mid-late fall and again in mid winter, for many years. The only issue here is that it can remove or mute the blue hue that many conifers have on their foliage. The oil is non toxic and smothers overwintering insects and eggs. This year, I'm going to take a page from some of the maple gurus here and apply lime sulfur as a dormant spray to my maples... I believe the dilution rate is 1:30. I'm not planning to inhale it or soak the root balls with it, but I'm pretty sure it's a safe spray to use at that dilution and won't be taking any precautions other then to make sure I'm up wind during the spraying.
 

Lazylightningny

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I've used dormant oils on my conifers for years, in mid-late fall and again in mid winter, for many years. The only issue here is that it can remove or mute the blue hue that many conifers have on their foliage. The oil is non toxic and smothers overwintering insects and eggs. This year, I'm going to take a page from some of the maple gurus here and apply lime sulfur as a dormant spray to my maples... I believe the dilution rate is 1:30. I'm not planning to inhale it or soak the root balls with it, but I'm pretty sure it's a safe spray to use at that dilution and won't be taking any precautions other then to make sure I'm up wind during the spraying.
Which dormant oil do you use?
I read somewhere that this person uses a dilution for lime sulfur of one tablespoon to a quart of water. I haven't done the math to see if it corresponds with your dilution rate of 1:30.
 

Dav4

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Which dormant oil do you use?
I read somewhere that this person uses a dilution for lime sulfur of one tablespoon to a quart of water. I haven't done the math to see if it corresponds with your dilution rate of 1:30.
Ultrafine year round pesticide oil by Sunspray... bought it at Home Depot and I've had it a LONG time.
 

GrimLore

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I use for the last two seasons on larger potted Fruits and Trees a mix of 2 tablespoons of Sulfur to one gallon of water in Fall, Spring, and Mid Summer to combat and/or break the rust cycle. Inexpensive, old school, and works on the trees that are susceptible ;)

Grimmy
 

chicago1980

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I'm planning to use the lime sulfer spray this fall.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Guy Vitale

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I just picked up the ingredients for Bordeaux Mix which is powdered copper sulfate and hydrated lime. This is for fungal diseases which seemed to hit some of my trees hard this year. I'm still researching it, so I'm not positive if it's sprayed during dormancy or as a preventative when the tree leafs out.
 

GrimLore

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I use for the last two seasons on larger potted Fruits and Trees a mix of 2 tablespoons of Sulfur to one gallon of water in Fall, Spring, and Mid Summer to combat and/or break the rust cycle. Inexpensive, old school, and works on the trees that are susceptible ;)

Grimmy

I wrote an article about this for my club.

Good work! I need to clarify I use the sulfur mix by watering it into the trees in Fall, Spring and Mid Summer with very good results...

I'm planning to use the lime sulfer spray this fall.

Might want to try watering it into the soil as I do and save the spraying for something like Daconil.

Grimmy
 

Lazylightningny

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Good work! I need to clarify I use the sulfur mix by watering it into the trees in Fall, Spring and Mid Summer with very good results...



Might want to try watering it into the soil as I do and save the spraying for something like Daconil.

Grimmy
Ok I initially misunderstood. So you don't spray, you use it like a dip?
 

GrimLore

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Ok I initially misunderstood. So you don't spray, you use it like a dip?

I pour the mix right into the pots. They are mostly large 12 and 15 gallon so I use up to 2 quarts of solution per pot. On the bright side one pound of the powder is under 10.00USD so it last me an easy 6 applications, up to 10. I know it is not how it is sold to work but Sulfur is Sulfur -

Bonide Sulfur.jpg

Grimmy
 

Lazylightningny

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I pour the mix right into the pots. They are mostly large 12 and 15 gallon so I use up to 2 quarts of solution per pot. On the bright side one pound of the powder is under 10.00USD so it last me an easy 6 applications, up to 10. I know it is not how it is sold to work but Sulfur is Sulfur -


Grimmy
So are you targeting the roots, or it's working like a systemic?
 

GrimLore

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So are you targeting the roots, or it's working like a systemic?

I am targeting the substrate itself. It would take to long to explain typing how many fungal problems and cedar rust move and cycle BUT you can break the cycle with Sulfur soil treatments ;)

Grimmy
 

chicago1980

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Good work! I need to clarify I use the sulfur mix by watering it into the trees in Fall, Spring and Mid Summer with very good results...



Might want to try watering it into the soil as I do and save the spraying for something like Daconil.

Grimmy
Would you use the daconil on Junipers and firs?

I am applying the Lime Sulfer to a Douglas Fir and Junipers for winter protections.

Early spring & summer
Mancozeb for the Fir
Clearly 3336/Mancozeb for Junipers

Lime Sufler Spray fall & mid winter
Fir and junipers.
 

GrimLore

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Would you use the daconil on Junipers and firs?

I do. It is safe to use on them and I already have a generous supply. Right now there are so many different chemicals in storage bins that I am trying to narrow it down a bit as well.

Grimmy
 

Lazylightningny

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My biggest problem here is powdery mildew and leaf curl. The insects I can deal with. Perhaps it would be better to use just a fungicide in winter and again in spring?
 
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