Dormant oil spray is the weapon of choice for aphids on plums. If you have a bad problem like migrations coming in from neighboring properties, then you might need to start off with 2 applications. 1 at dormant and 1 close to bloom. Eventually you should just be able to continue with 1 spray a year.
You will get get good results with just oil, especially an oil like Tri Tech. For maximum effect you can add another insecticide which may give you 100% control, depending on which one you choose.
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So a dormant oil plus copper can be sprayed together?
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Yes that’s what I do for every dormant spray with copper. The restrictions on mixing oil with things are only for non-dormant sprays.
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Thanks.
Here only professionnal have access to chemicals. The recipe for gardeners is
2 cups of natural dishwasher liquid soap
1 cup of alcohol 70 degrees or less
thoroughly mixed
+
5 cups of canola oil
mixed well again
+
40 cups of warm water
mixed again
And don’t forget to shake the mixture when applying
And copper + soap for PLC when leafbuds opens
But we don’t use copper and oil because it clogs.
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Double batch shown. 4 ~ 5 Tablespoons per gallon of water, aggiate well.
My take from article and other resources —> https://www.weekand.com/home-garden/article/homemade-dormant-oil-spray-fruit-trees-18068303.php
Scott . . . how do you clean your sprayer? I have a fairly new 10 gallon sprayer with a nice wand and hose . . . and I just hate to gum it up! But I decided to get some dormant spray on my trees this winter.
Can I run DAWN through, when I’m done - to break down the oil ?
I’d appreciate your advice. Thanks. Karen
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That’s how I unclog my sprayer, just fill with hot water and Dawn, pump a bit and let it sit, repeat until it’s empty.
I stopped using so much Nufilm, I now just use the standard amount on the label (I was using 3-5x). Also I had problems with Regalia clogging the sprayer so I also don’t use much of it any more. I have not clogged the sprayer for the last couple of years.
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I know this is a very old comment, (just reading through this thread as last year was my first year with wormy peaches {hopefully the last}) but this seems like a really good idea. It’s a little late but maybe I’ll go to grab a couple small feeders to attract some birds to my still dormant trees.
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I watched a video about insects over the winter and it showed hornets in an orchard.
Hornets make a nest near places with lots of bug and larvae activity… they go and capture insect larvae and bring it back to the nest to emulsify and feed their own larvae.
Those larvae that are fed grow into adults start the process over again… and the previous generation dies.
I know that there is every product you can imagine to kill wasps and hornets… but they seem to be the perfect predator for things that make larvae in orchards.
I have watched wasps carry off aphids and other larvae…not to mention intricately search my berries for larvae.
Going forward i think birds and wasps/hornets will make a decline in things that are ‘pests’ in my orchards.
Birds also are handy for farms as well… i like this idea of a trellis wire for bird houses… i hadnt seen that before.
Team Bird does alot of work so that you dont have to.
I figure i am growing things that attract a plethora of insects… and they of course want to multiply and thrive… so i may as well attract and leave alone things that eat those things.
Maybe eventually we will eradicate wasps and birds… but i think that will cause other issues.
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