bfreeman:

In my experience, hose-end sprayers are useless, except for application of fertilizers from liquid concentrates. Hose-end sprayers cannot even come close to the precision mixing required for application of insecticides and pesticides. And, because of the large volume of water that comes out of these "sprayers", whatever chemicals may be in the mix are quickly washed to the ground.

If you want to apply a fungicide like Daconil (which is one I no longer use because I found it ineffective), get a good backpack sprayer, and a calibrated cup to measure concentrates.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Sorry,your message seems confusing.I was told by a guy with a 5 year degree in fruitculture and horticulture that "dormant spray" is used to kill insects and bugs that lodge themselves in the trees. I should be used during the winter.It should be used before the bud-swelling. Most dormant sprays have a mineral oil base and kill by exposing the exterior body of insects and bugs to direct contact to the oil.Most bugs breathe thru the skin.Mineral oil will close the tiny orifices they breathe thru and kill them.In order to kill fungi, like the one that causes "curl leaf" in
peaches and nectarines other type of mixtures must be used.Bordeax mix can be used to control most types of fungi, including the one that causes "curl leaf". You can mix Bordeux Mix yourself.You will need copper sulfate in powder form or crystal form, hydrated lime and water.Use the ratio:
10lbs copper sulfate,10lbs hydrated lime,100gallons of water. If you have only a few trees,just adjust the amounts, but keep the same ratio.You can buy these products in a country store or one that supplies agricultural stuff.I got mine out of state and thru the ebay.You can apply 2 to 3 times at regular intervals before bud-swelling. There is a large spectrum of products pre-mixed and sold in regular stores like OSH,Homedepot,Lowes,etc..etc.They sell most of the time in concentrated form. Make sure to follow directions in diluting.You shoud use a true sprayer for trees.They sell them in OSH,Homedepot,Lowes,etc....Never use water sprayer used to spray fertilizer.I prefer to use Bordeax mix because I know it works.It was invented over 100 years in France to combact the American fungus that destroyed Vineyards.Since then has been used in the Old Continent in vineyards and orchards to kill all kinds of fungi.Many of the mixtures sold here in the states are ineffective and expensive.Good luck next time.Jim
of bugs

jmmedeiros:

I don't have a degree in horticulture, but I do know that dormant oils are primarily intended to smother overwintering eggs on trees, not the insects themselves. Most insects have brief life-cycles. Those that feed on fruits do not live long enough to see the winter, but they do leave their eggs behind. Dormant oils are most effective on eggs when the trees are close to or at bud break, since the eggs begin to wake up about when the buds do. Superlight oils can also be used during the growing season to suffocate insects already on the trees, especially aphids, but at a greatly reduced mixing rate compared with dormant applications.

Bordeaux mix as a fungicide was fine 100 years ago, but there are many fungicides of more recent development that are more effective on fruit trees. Kocide is one of them. I don't know about grapes, since I don't grow those aside from one Concord. Bordeaux should also be mixed up fresh, since it tends to lose its effectiveness when stored. And to apply it, you must figure out a way to get the copper sulphate to dissolve completely, and how to keep the lime from clogging your sprayer head. I know that many grape growers used to use Bordeaux as a dust, but I don't find that very easy to apply.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Jellyman, I thought getting some fungicide on the ground is ideal for controlling the diseases. And if the mixture is sprayed on the tree, and the tree is obviously wet after, why do you feel the chemical is washed off, is it only water left on the tree?
At any rate I think I got some chemical on my trees. I sprayed again, this time diluting out 4 times, and using an appropriate setting on the sprayer. I could smell it this time, and I think see it in the spray. It wasnt exact concentrations, thats for sure, but hopefully there is some margin of error with this stuff.