Combatting brown rot

I found some Ball pickling calcium chloride at the grocery store.

The one year i used it…but i have no idea if it worked…i didn’t get any rot…but i usually don’t get rot on my container trees… I want to hit all my donut peaches (i have a lot this year) that are on in ground trees with it.

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I read the article you linked and another article from New Zealand. The one in NZ said it had some effectiveness against monilinia laxa. So, if it could work against both flucticola and laxa, it is worth a try.

Thanks for the link.

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I use an “official” calcium spray, Biolink Cal Plus Calcium:

I don’t know how much the form used matters. This stuff you use about 1/4 cup per gallon.

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Thanks, Scott. You read my mind. I was about to ask about the measurement per gal :grin:.

I wonder if there would be any negative effective on trees, leaves or fruit i.e. burn, russeting, etc.

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This stuff is similar to something like seaweed or fish oil spray, it should not have any negative effects.

That reminds me, I keep forgetting to mix in my foliar fertilizers. I have a bunch I bought years ago.

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Do you think a kelp spray would do the same? I have some left.

I think this stuff is like $5

5.5oz… i’ve got to do the maths on how to mix it so i don’t kill everything.

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I don’t know if that form of Calcium would be taken up by plants. Its calcium carbonate that is in the official brew I got.

Kelp spray is always good to do, and it could also help but would not be the same.

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That Calcium Plus liquid is $70 for 2.5 gal. I pray that it works :smile: Otherwise, my husband would think I try to bankrupt him with my “hobby”.

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My Indar seems to be working.

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Indar works. I just want to explore other less harsh approach. I think calcium also help with other issue like bitter pit.

Just considering it. Wettable sulfur is another thing I use.

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I cannot wait to give you bottles of stuff I have, unless your shed is full. Matt took one look at my chemistry lab of bottles and just said, don;'t light a match!

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Ok, this is going to be a rant… (not meant to be personal in any way).

It is hard to tell the form of calcium in that Biolink Cal Plus product. Calcium carbonate complexed with organic acids is not a real chemical species. You either have calcium complexed with organic acids, or calcium carbonate (chalk). The complexed calcium should be soluble and available for uptake by the plant, but calcium carbonate is very insoluble in water. So hopefully it is the former, rather than the latter.

The product very well may be produced by the action of organic acids on calcium carbonate, but during that process the calcium carbonate should be dissolved to from Ca bound to the organic acids and CO2 gas. But the darn label should say exactly what is in the product and not obfuscate the true form of what is in there.

If the stuff is chalky, I would probably not re-purchase it at that price! My $0.02 as an environmental chemist.

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It looks like molasses and its not cloudy so the calcium must be in solution somehow. Calcium carbonate should dissolve in acid as you mention. I think the label writer just mis-used the standard terms.

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For back yard growers who use Pristine or Indar: Do you really spend $350-450 dollars a gallon, or you know a secret place where to get it in reasonable amount?

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I’ve bought several chemicals in small quantities from Ebay. People buy the big packages and repackage in smaller quantities.

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Can you trust it? I mean, I would trust people from here, but e-bay… It is not something that easy to figure out if it it is original or not… One thing if it will not work, another if it will kill your trees…

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That’s why I buy the homeowner mixture

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I spent $67 on an 8 oz bottle of Tenacity Herbicide last week. When it arrived it was the size of a bottle of advil. I thought to myself I am crazy for purchasing this. Then I realized it only takes 1/2 teaspoon per gallon and realized it may last me the rest of my life.

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Do you have specific target fot that pricey herbicide?

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Some more research…more so about post harvest…but calcium chloride sure looks effective.

http://www.metalosates.co.uk/pdf/factsheet3.pdf

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