Insecticide/Fungicide Recommendations

General Fruit Growing
#1

Hello everyone,

Like the title says… I’m looking for good recommendations & where to find them! They don’t necessarily have to be organic, but I’d prefer it. In the past I’ve used insecticidal soap and copper fungicide, but they didn’t seem all that effective. Maybe it was my application or frequency, but I’ve also got more trees now, so I feel like I need something a little more heavy duty than something you’d pick up at Home Depot: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Garden-Safe-24-fl-oz-Ready-to-Use-Fungicide3-HG-10414X-6/100352268

I have heard that Surround is an exceptional insecticide, but the cheapest I can find it is $54 for 25 lbs. I wonder how long that’ll last: https://www.groworganic.com/surround-25-lb.html

-Ross

#2

What are the problems that you need to address with these applications?

#3

Ross,
Surround is not insecticide. It is a protectant. Its white coat on trees and fruit protect the fruit, can irritate pests and deter them from laying eggs or boring into the fruit.

Spinosad is insecticide that can be mixed with Surround.

#4

You can get Surround at Fertrell, don’t think they ship but if by chance you are headed that way anyway… They have great fertilizer blends also.

#5

Ross,
Please look up Low Impact Spray Schedule thread that Scott Smith posted on this forum.

At the end of his post, he listed sources of those products. It is the best place to start. Tons of practical knowledge.

#6

I put up a schedule of a mostly-organic approach here:

If you can’t find something ask and someone may have a source. For Surround, http://7springsfarm.com is my usual place. I think someone else may have found an even cheaper place, I can’t remember now.

Edit: I overlapped with mamuang’s post… I forgot I put sources at the bottom of the schedule.