I went to check on some remote apple grafts today. I was surprised to see several different types of bugs munching on the buds that haven’t finished unfurling yet. I’ve never used pesticides before, but I figure it is worth it if it gives the grafts a better chance to survive. Any pesticide recommendations for spot spraying the grafts with a hand sprayer?
You may want to put a harmless costume over the sprouting scion buds, one that will give the sprouts room to grow outward while not inviting pests out shopping for some fresh greens to munch on. I’ve done this several hundred times so far and none of the costumed scions got munched on. On the other hand, once I pull off the coverings due to the growing leaves’ size, the pests sure do notice them then as being munchworthy. Using a thin, white, translucent grocery bag, cut out a rectangular strip maybe 5" wide X 10" long. Fold the long sides over so as to form a tube shape and tape a seam the full 10" length using clear Skotch tape. Then on one end of the flimsy’ tube’ fold over the outer 1/2" and tape along that new 2" wide seam. This floppy 2" X 9-1/2" sleeve with the closed end just slips right over the scion and a short strip of Skotch tape on the bottom holds it in place so that wind won’t push it off. As bugs fly by they obviously don’t land on the plastic when in search of a twig with greenery to munch on. I make wider/skinnier/longer/shorter sleeves depending on what I am grafting and how big I want the leaves to grow out before the sleeves will come off. Snails that slither up on branches will sometimes choose to move in beneath the sleeves, especially during rainy times. I use these during hot summer greenwood grafting rather than aluminum foil to provide heat protection.
The grafts come out a bit later so they are particularly attractive because of their relative tenderness. I suggest Triazide every 2 weeks until they are well established, applied with a very small sprayer right on the grafts.
The thought crossed my mind, but I wasn’t sure if it would be smart this late in the game. Next year I will probably try bagging the ones I can’t check every day.
[quote=“alan, post:3, topic:1362”]
I suggest Triazide every 2 weeks until they are well established
[/quote]Thanks. You mean triazicide, right?
Is that what it’s called? All this time I read it wrong. It’s not the pyrethroid formulation I use because I’m a commercial sprayer.