It was my understanding back in February of 2013 that the phase out was to be completed by 2017, with the newer label restrictions being the first phase. I haven't seen any new data that refutes or supports that lately though. The phase out was announce back in '06. Our network began in 2006 with the phaseout of all organophosphates due to the projected total phaseout and started coming up with alternatives as have many other extensions services around the country. Bonide is phasing out the Fruit Tree Spray that contains Captan, Carbaryl and Malathion (MPFS) and the new Fruit Tree & Plant Guard spray is replacing it. Unfortunately, Lambda-cyhalothrin, one of the major components of the new spray is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment or residues on blooming crops or broadleaf weeds, ie dandelions, clover, etc. We actually had to remove all of those peach trees in 2006 because they ended up freeaing when we hit a spell of -26 temps the previous winter. We replanted new trees in 2013 and the jury is still out on those trees. We planted them in the southern most portion of our East orchard and they got sun all day long. We have lost all the new wood, but it seems that some of the 1"+ wood may have survived this past winter. The jury is still our as to how many survived. We should know in another week or two....as soona s we see some 60 degree + temps here!! All the apple trees have been hanging around green tip to 1/4" green now for over a week and the peach trees have not shown any green tip at all, but some of the wood is still green inside. Only time will tell!! We lost Reliance, PF 24C, and Contender back in '06. We now hacve PF 24C Cold Hardy, PF24C-007 and PF 7A and PF 5D. I'll let you know how they turn out!

Nancy, the Bordeaux mix should only be used while the tree is still dormant - before bud break. It can be phytotoxic, which is why it's recommended to be used before the tree is in leaf. And you never want to spray during the flowering period when pollinators are present. Other than the Bordeaux mix, this is going to be a difficult problem to control just restricting yourself to organics......sad, but true:-( Cultural controls and good garden sanitation are critical and MUST be used together with any fungicides, organic or not - sprays alone will not do the trick. Part of the diffculty is that the fungal spores germinate and spread when the weather is warm, generally some time after bud break and one can't determine the degree of infection until the following year when the galls begin forming, so some sort of spray program is advised. Pruning out problem areas is most often advised but won't help a wit if the infection has progressed to major limbs or the trunk. You just need to remove the tree at that point. If I were in this situation, I might try using Neem oil for spraying any time after the trees emerge from dormancy and when the temperatures are close to 55F or above. If possible, spray when no threat of rain is present for at least 24 hours and don't spray when pollinators are present - Neem can harm them as well as any chemical. I'd repeat applications every 10 days to two weeks through shuck split (when the tepals fall off to expose any emerging fruit). Otherwise, there are very few fungicides that are registered for control of black knot (and most you wouldn't want to or can't use anyway) but if you use something registered for brown rot and follow a similar spray schedule, you should be OK.

Concerning bleach and concentration. The recommendation of: "1/4 cup bleach in 3 gallons of H20" gives an available chlorine concentration around 267 ppm. This amount IS a high concentration compared to the "safe" drinking water and swimming pool examples. ------------------------- Drinking water has about 0.5 to 2 ppm available chlorine: http://www.newmadridcountyhealthdept.com/wands.html -------------------------- Swimming pools are about the same ("Check chlorine level in pool water at least daily with a pool testing set and add this product as needed to maintain 0.6 to 1.0 ppm available chlorine." This is from the Clorex company: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/archive/index.php/t-5852.html ------------------------ Concerning the comment: "Bleach solution (3 teaspoons per gal. H20 is the preferred method of commercially sanitizing food preparation surfaces and utensils." H. Kuska comment: that mixture yields a ppm of 195. However, that amount is put on a surface not sprayed into the air! In addition to short term high exposure problems, there are problems with long term low exposure problems with chlorine, see (since the original poster is from Wisconsin): http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/chemfs/fs/chlorine.htm Here is a link that might be useful: Wisconsin Dept. of health services

"Your best approach would be to put in a lot of flowering plants that are attractive to bees, butterflies, etc. Anything that maintains a high population of pollinators for a long period around the time mangos flower." +1. Go to the local home depot, lowes or garden center and look at the perennials for bee activity on them. Buy some of those. I say perennials because if you buy annuals (if you live somewhere they will survive 12 months) you will be replacing them every year.You I used to have the same problem without fungus issues. Anthracnose is visually identifiable (and sometimes preventable) look up pics of it and if you don't see it you don't have to spray... but if you do need to spray copper do it BEFORE the flowers open, or AFTER the little fruits set. At least that's what I have read, but I haven't sprayed copper yet for unproductive trees, luckily no need to. I did buy a little Pickering years ago that had anthracnose from the nursery, it's first bloom was lost but spraying copper prevented the new leaf flushes from being infected. If you water your lawn at dusk, don't. Mango will not dry well at night leaving them open to fungi growth. Water in the early morning so the leaves can dry thoroughly.