I’ll pm you Fran!
Does anyone know of a good local supplier for Surround WP, diatomaceous earth, or high nitrogen content fertilizer? The guy at Agway looked at my brother like he had three heads when he asked about surround lol
I shopped around for Surround last year and ended up going with Keystone Pest Solutions. Their price was a bit better than others I found. The website isn’t the easiest to navigate but there’s a search bar which makes it easier. Customer service was pretty friendly. They say they ship from PA or Idaho based on your location but my package was shipped from Idaho lol. There’s also a code you can enter for $5 off $50+ for new customers: save5
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Thanks Tony! I see that tractor supply has 40lb bags of diatomaceous earth on sale (and neem oil in stock). I’m betting that is a better option than shipping it. I’m trying to start my insect and disease arsenal with the more “earth friendly” products. I can just see my dog licking death chemicals off of a tree trunk and I’m trying to avoid that 
If you can find what you need locally then definitely go that route. I couldn’t find Surround anywhere local. Yeah, I try to stick with the less toxic pesticides and fungicides as well. I have to spray for ambrosia beetles this year since I had a couple trees get drilled by them last spring due to the May 9th freeze. Hopefully we don’t get a freeze like that again this year!
You gotta do what you gotta do. I’ve been going through Scott’s low impact spray schedule for probably the fourth time, just to learn the terminology/oils/chemicals available and what they do. I think I’m getting somewhere.
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In my area DE sold at Tractor Supply Stores is a powder form. That can be used as pesticide to prevent pests emerging from soil like slugs. You need to put it on each time after rain, though.
DE for soil amendment is granular type, larger particles. It is usually as oil absorbent and sold at auto stores like Napa Auto Parts, O’Reilly Auto Parts. Obtisorb is the brand often mentioned.
It is difficult to find Surround locally. Mail order is the way to go. Places like 7Springs Farm, Grow Organic, etc. are where I have ordered mine. it is about $40-43 per 25 lb bag. That does not include shipping and handling yet. If ordering 2 bags will save you some money, order 2. It is kept well in a dry area. I keep mine in buckets with lids.
By the way, I saw Gurney advertised Surround for $31.99. I thought that was suspicious (not a fan of Gurney). I checked it out. It is for a 5 lb bag! What a rip-off!!
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Ryan, if you do end up ordering Surround online, and if you can save on shipping by buying a larger quantity, I’d be happy to go halfsies with you. I haven’t gotten around to ordering it yet.
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I will probably put an order in today. I’ll pm you Alex.
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A few things that I thought might be interesting for others on this thread to share:
- Successes or failures with zone pushing
- Varieties/cultivars which you have found to be especially well adapted, low maintenance and disease free in western PA.
- Anyone out there have an interest in foraging?
I can report success with Arp rosemary making it through the winter with no protection whatsoever (zone 6b). Three out of three plants survived. I’ve added Salem rosemary this spring - will report.
Regarding foraging, I know there are ramps/wild garlic in a local park. I didn’t take any, with it being a state park. Trying to grow my own instead. Curious to hear what others forage for.
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Good to hear about your rosemary. I’ve had a potted one that is about 5yrs old that I bring in each winter and would love to just keep it in the ground.
I enjoy foraging and mushrooming pretty much year round. Even in early spring there are some wild greens and other things starting to pop up. Most relevant to this site would be juneberries, mulberries, elderberries, wineberries, and black raspberries around Pittsburgh, a wild pawpaw patch near Wheeling wv, and various roadside/wild/abandoned apples that I’ve come across.
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The only abandoned apples I find are pretty poor quality from pests and disease.
The only things I have ever found in decent quantity for harvesting in the wild are black walnuts, which are a pain to process, and blackberries, which I can sometimes find enough of to put in the freezer as well as eat fresh.
We usually just cover my wife’s rosemary with some straw each winter. It is next to the house and grows well each spring. Not sure of what variety…
Jason, I just put a list together (based solely on research, NOT firsthand experience yet) on this thread. I hope yinz guys find it helpful.
Alex and I may take our crews for a trip to Ohipyle this year for a wild pawpaw hunt (I have intel on where to go). I’d assume the more the merrier! I also know of a couple decent spots for mushroom hunting but I’m not sure if I want to share those haha.
There is a recently created local park near Murrysville that appears to have a huge amount of wild raspberries/blackberries along one of the trails and a good amount of crabapple trees in another area. A few improvements might be made to some of those trees in the next few years.
I like where your mind is at with those apples.
For yinz close to downtown along the south side riverfront trail there are tons of feral mulberries, some of which are really good quality. Also in the same area there are juneberries planted for landscape purposes. My 2yr old absolutely loved helping me pick/eat them last yr.
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Add me to the list for info on the Ohiopyle foraging! I don’t get up there as often after my grandmother died, but I hope to once vaccinated. I have things to do, and in Pittsburgh too.
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Ohiopyle is a beautiful park! There is supposed to be a huge stand of pawpaws along the bike trail. My wife is an environmental educator and works with the staff at the state park there, so they know the places to go for fruit!
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I am interested in the Ohiopyle pawpaw excursion. I have been on the bike trail upstream and downstream countless times and never noted anything from the trail
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Went out to look over my trees today. My plums, and Asian pears are both getting near bud break, and the peach buds are swelling. The 21 degree low next week is making me have flashbacks of last year. I hope we don’t get more late hard frosts this year.
Yeah, I’m worried. My Superior plum and Redhaven peach were in bloom on April 8th & 9th last year and they are swelling quickly right now. We at least need some cold nights to put them on hold but we’re getting the opposite right now with a stretch of unseasonably warm nights.