Combining Insecticides & Fungicides in the Same Sprayer

General Fruit Growing
#1

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if this was possible. I read that it’s a bad idea to combine some insecticides with some fungicides, so I wanted to double check with some of the experts before I completely disregard the idea.

I’m using Surround & Bonide Sulfur. Would copper be a better idea instead of the sulfur because of high temps?

I greatly appreciate all the help you’ve all given thus far!
-Ross

#2

What is the purpose of the dishwashing soap in your mix?

The general advice with Surround is to not add a spreader-sticker. Both surround and bonide sulfur are pre-treated with wetting agents to enhance their coverage when you spray them. So there would be no need to use dish soap to achieve that result.

Edit: Surround + Bonide Sulfur are compatible per my experience (and I believe Scott’s). Though if you live in an area that is supposed to be hot this week, you might hold off on the spraying with sulfur due to the toxicity at high temps.

#3

The soap is for aphids. I wasn’t sure if surround covered that.

Hmm… is that what’s going on with my leaves? What does the toxicity look like? This was my thread, but I think it’s aphid damage: http://growingfruit.org/t/any-idea-whats-going-on-with-these-leaves/

Can I use copper at higher temps? http://www.bonide.com/products/garden-naturals/view/771/copper-dust

#4

I believe that the soap used for aphids is not detergent (grease cutting kind used for dishes) but the real, old fashioned lye+fat kind, like Zote.

#5

The insecticide will kill the aphids. You don’t need soap to do that.

#6

Thanks for clearing that up, Ray.

I’m assuming copper can be combined with Surround as well? And there won’t be any sunburn due to high temps?

#7

Most things can be combined but there are exceptions. Don’t combine oil or soap with sulphur or copper.

Also I would not spray copper in summer, it is mainly a spring spray except on grapes. Just wait for a cooler patch and spray sulphur.

#8

Scott, don’t forget about the copper I use. I just put some down on tomatoes in intense heat and they are fine. I like getting tomatoes into Oct.

#9

I’ve never used copper nor surround, so I can’t answer your question.

#10

Ah… i was just thinking that I might spray peppers with my copper octanoate for the bacterial leaf spot I think they have. Good to know that it doesn’t hurt tomatoes at high temperatures. Have you used copper on peppers too?

#11

I don’t think sulfur phytotoxicity is what is happening in your pictures. But I’m not sure. I’d suspect toxicity would lead to browning rather than bleaching. If I remember I’ll dab a little sulfur on a few leaves and see the result when we hit a high of 97 degrees in a day or two.

#12

Thanks! I’d appreciate that. I’m thinking it may be mite damage or aphids, but I would definitely want to rule out sulfur toxicity.

#13

I’ve never had disease problems with peppers. Tomatoes here eventually succumb to early blight. I’m sure the copper soaps are fine of peppers also. The label should tell all.

#14

I always combine copper (or sulfur) and oil, although as a dormant spray. AFAIK, these compounds are mostly useful when dormant. The only chemicals I spray during the growing season are insecticide, and rarely fungicide for powdery mildew in the peaches and nectarines. Sometimes I manage to get by with a single Imidan spraying except for one late apple tree I sometimes hit twice.