I think I read somewhere that 3 good times to spray copper is at Thanksgiving, Valentine’s day, and bud break. Is this correct? I plan to prune within the next 2 weeks and wondered if it would be good to spray imediately following winter pruning?
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I feel that three dormant copper sprays is a little too much. You may need to do additional copper sprays during the growing season to protect against bacterial spot and/or other disease. You do not want too much copper to accumulate in your soil as it can adversely affect the health of your trees. I was advised by a professor specializing in plant disease to do one copper spray in Dec and a chlorothalonyl spray late winter.
And Easter.
Depends up on where you live, how many trees you have and your insect problems. It’s not too many times here!
What’s the copper for? If it’s for peach curl it should be before bud break.
I was ‘advised’ to Copper spray not only my trees, but the mulch below, because my pomegranates developed fungus spots this past fall. The person who told me this was an Iranian friend who I shared some fruit with. When she saw my poms, she told me that if I didn’t spray, I might eventually lose the tree.
She also said to ‘change out’ the mulch each year - to avoid harboring the fungus.
What do others use as mulch, for their pomegranate trees? Or do you mulch at all? I feel that they need the protection, especially in the winter. But, I’m not sure that I’m using the right ‘stuff’. So far, I’ve used Pine Bark Chips.
You all discussed the Copper . . . but what about the dormant oil? Would now be a good time for that? I am in Zone 7B - southeastern VA.