Dipel, Surround, and other organic treatments

I want to successfully manage my trees with organic stuff starting this year. I asked an organic apple grower what he uses and he said, Dormant oil, Dipel, Surround, CYD-X.

My questions for you guys are how to do this on a back yard scale. I have a Solo backpack sprayer, also have a 3M full face breathing mask.

What mix ratio and how do you mix it, etc. The directions I have read are more commercial then back yard.

Curtis, thats more or less the list of bug control sprays. I use spinosad along with codling moth granulosis (Cyd-X), and I don’t use so much Bt (Dipel is Bt). I also use codling moth mating disruption (e.g. NoMate spirals), I think this is the best tool overall and am surprised this guy did not mention it. You also need some chemicals for control of scab and other diseases. Here is my approximate schedule.

Delayed dormant (close to but not after 1/2" green leaves show): lime/sulphur, soy oil, sticker at dormant rates.

Petal fall: start Surround coverage. Maintain coverage until PC pressure is negligible, usually it lasts for about a month. I use 3 cups of powder per gallon. If it rains more than an inch of rain you will need to re-apply, and every other week you probably need to spray anyway due to the growth.

Along with the Surround I always mix in some micronized sulphur, e.g. Kumulus, for scab etc, and spinosad and CM granulosis for the moths.

Also at petal fall get the mating disruption lures up.

In the last few years I also include myclobutanil in this spray for cedar apple rust. Its not organic. If you don’t have bad rust you don’t need it.

Looking at my logs from last year I did three such sprays. Once the curculio period is over I usually stop using Surround, it seems like it makes aphids worse and its generally annoying to be around as it gets all over your clothes. This is on apples, I may keep up Surround on peaches and pears for stinkbug control.

In the summer period I don’t do a lot of spraying, maybe one or two sulphur sprays. Its good to do for the summer rots, but they may not be as bad for you given you are in zone 5 (they are pretty horrible here, heat makes them worse). Overall I do something like five sprays total, one delayed dormant, three Surround+, and one sulphur in midsummer.

Scott

Scott,

Thanks a ton. Where do you buy these?

Surround I get from 7springsfarm - good price. They also sell soy oil. groworganic.com (Peaceful Valley) sells micronized sulphur (any brand of sulphur is good, the micronized ones are easier to use though). Lime sulphur is getting somewhat hard to get but there are still several online places selling it. Gemplers sells NoMate mating disruption. Spinosad is available as Monterey Garden Insect Spray from many places. Codling moth granulosis can be hard to find for home growers, I have a 20-year supply I keep in my freezer. Peaceful Valley sells Cyd-X now it looks like.

Scott

As soon as I recover from the flu that I have, I plan to spray my orchard. Do I understand correctly that I can mix lime-sulfur spray and dormant oil spray together and apply as one spray? I have Hi-Yield Lime Sulfur Spray and Gordon’s Dormant Oil Spray. Does one mix each according to instructions and then combine the two equally, or do you only use the amount of water for one of the sprays? I’ve only used them separately in the past. I’ve also read cautions on using sulfur on pears and apricots? Which items should I spray? I have blueberries, cherries, plums, pears, apricots, apples, grapes, and haskaps as possible candidates. Thanks for the help.

Nearly all spray materials can be combined. The one common exception is oil and sulphur products during growing season. During dormant season you can combine oil and sulphur no problem. When you combine you just pretend you didn’t combine as far as water vs chemicals goes.

Combining is very important for me, its a key to getting my orchard covered with not too much work.

Scott

I spray with compost tea, but I make mine. It is 100% organic.
John S
PDX OR

Surround, bt , sulfur, and sometimes oil and spinosaid seems to manage my apples
I am using a back pack sprayer…and with these products you are likely to be spraying frequently. How many trees is too many for back pack varies by user, but I think we are at or past the limit…with stuff like surround I often need to refill the pack a couple times to hit everything.
Most of the formulations I come across have mixing ratios for smaller volumes, but you do often have to buy a couple years or more worth of material on some items if your only mixing up a few gallons a year.