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Calcium uptake, herbal fermentation, liquid fish, pure neem oil, pest options, the mineral fungicides, impact of same on microbes ... from timing and tank mixing to sourcing spray materials and evaluating effectiveness.
Re: Silver Leaf - 4 weeks ago
Hi Josh, I haven't used Howler for anything other than Fireblight. It seems to be a better alternative for fireblight than Blossom Protect. The problem with these "very ubiquitous and opportunistic pathogens in nature" is that they keep coming at you. Orchard sanitation is so important to removing inoculum from the orchard. Trying to spray your way out of it will only keep it bayby Mike Biltonen - Fungal Pathogens
Re: Overlap of oils with sulfur - 6 weeks ago
I came across this article that suggests that lower doses of sulfur are just as effective as higher doses of sulfur for PM in grapes. We're probably overapplying lots of things including sulfur. I've been working with lower doses of other similar products and see some success without the damage you get when applied with or near oils.by Mike Biltonen - Spray Nuance
Re: FELS and Alterneria sprays, comparing Cueva vs. Sulfur vs. Lime Sulfur - 6 weeks ago
Hi, So here's a short answer to a deep question. I think some folks recommend sulfur as a default when no other known viable options exist. The problem I see with that approach is two-fold: 1 - we're still in an allopathic mindset when we spray sulfur "because" and 2 - we simply don't know. FELS/black rot is a very ubiquitous fungal organism that is opportunistic to damby Mike Biltonen - Spray Nuance
Re: Overlap of oils with sulfur - 2 months ago
Hi Charlie, The devil is in the details as they say. With a very low rate of sulfur as you suggest, I doubt you'll see any fruit phytotoxicity/russeting when applied with most non-petroleum oils (unless applied at bloom in which case you might get some blossom thinning). Nonetheless, and since each situation in unique, I'd approach it like this: - mix small amount of materials youby Mike Biltonen - Spray Nuance
Re: Cornell Soil Health Tests? - 2 months ago
Hi Josh, I used to use the Cornell SHT routinely but stopped primarily because they stopped doing the root bioassay test (developed by George Abawi) that gave an indication (though no specificity) about potential soil-borne root pathogens. Additionally, the lag time in reporting results and their glossing over other details such as microelements etc caused me to stop. I can do most of the otherby Mike Biltonen - Tree Fruit Nutrition
Re: Fertilizing among the grasses and weeds - 3 months ago
I look at the understory as a reserve for nutrients. I don't apply too many nutrients to the ground and instead look at the understory as a scavenger for what's in the ground, and since we don't "really know" what plants really scavenge in comparison to others, a diverse mix can ensure a well rounded source for the following year once the plants are fully composted. I alsby Mike Biltonen - Just Talk
Re: Sharing Spray Plans - 3 months ago
All I can say is that my thoughts and ideas change almost every year, though I do have a basic approach I use that could be a starting point. Rather than release that now, I will work on it this fall and winter based on my observations and experiences this year. Hopefully ready by the Roundtable, def by the beginning of next season. It would be great if others could chime in with either their sprby Mike Biltonen - Spray Nuance
Re: Nectria - 5 months ago
Brittany, Thanks for this thread. And yes I have had issues with nectria in the past. My initial experience was probably 10-12 years ago. I was scouting some orchards in the Hudson Valley (NY) and noticed, as you did, shoots collapsing on trees that were fireblight susceptible, but the timing was wrong. That said, the symptoms (shoot dieback) was very similar to fireblight, but different. I can&#by Mike Biltonen - Fungal Pathogens
Re: Fireblight Carryover - 5 months ago
Brittany, thanks for keeping on about this critical issue - fireblight. I'll read over the links and have some thoughts later perhaps. It was a sad day when Srdjan left Cornell for Virginia Tech - sad for us, awesome for you. He always helped (helps) me better understand what is going on in the orchard - pathologically speaking. As did his predecessor Dave Rosenberger. Anyway, more to come fby Mike Biltonen - Bacterial Opportunists
Re: The Big Freeze of 2023 - 5 months ago
As I think I've mentioned before, I have a whole slew of plant examples that weren't affected by the freeze and others that were decimated. Why? I don't know. but I am developing theories and practical approaches to how we must prepare to try to avoid this situation again. Valerian included. Valerian is a biodynamic herb with the astral, saturnian influences of warmth, light, anby Mike Biltonen - Grower Research
Re: follow up on bicarbonate - 5 months ago
I've been a HUGE fan of RIMpro for at least the past decade. That said, its been hard to get growers to sign up and use it. Since it is a subscription service, there is cost involved. However, I've found the models they use and the information they provide augments what NEWA provides. It does give a greater level of detail into scab and fireblight predictions ; and a deeper understandinby Mike Biltonen - Fungal Pathogens
Re: Summer pruning and fire blight - 5 months ago
Thanks for posting this Brittany!! I've long known that sanitizing pruning shears was a waste of time and destroyed tools. And if you are pruning below the last visible symptom, then you should never be cutting through ooze. Anywho, Goodfruit Grower is a "go to" industry magazine with some very good articles and leading edge research reports. I love the IPM stuff they are reporby Mike Biltonen - Bacterial Opportunists
Re: The Big Freeze of 2023 - 6 months ago
Charlie, Thanks for this. The name alone sells the product!! Do you know the species of kelp they use in this product and if there is any research or data (observational or otherwise) to support claims? Not that I am doubting it, just wondering. Honestly, I think this is the way to go but it takes time to prepare and is not a "oh shit" strategy that can be implemented at the last momeby Mike Biltonen - Grower Research
Re: The Big Freeze of 2023 - 6 months ago
Yup. And so one of my theories (and potential management strategies) is to somehow use and perhaps even naturally improve the heat-holding capacity of the ground leading up to a frost or freeze event. How? - dark composts that are wet (preferably from a thermophilic pile created just for these situations). Wood chips probably won't do much since they do not have any moisture holding capaby Mike Biltonen - Grower Research
Re: The Big Freeze of 2023 - 6 months ago
I'll just chime in real quick by saying that: - stone fruit is toast - blueberries got hit hard - strawberries that were covered seemed to do well. - developing fruitlets were damaged most esp on dessert varieties - late blooming cider apples appear to be ok. - walnuts, chestnuts, sumac, oak, maple, knotweed etc heavily damaged, but not autumn olive, hazelnuts, most ground herbs, hawby Mike Biltonen - Grower Research
The Big Freeze of 2023 - 6 months ago
As everyone is already - and sometimes painfully - aware, the broader northeast got hit hard by a deep freeze on morning of May 19. Temperatures were pretty steadily in the mid to upper 20s throughout the region with heavy frost. It was clear, lengthy cold, low humidity, and windy in some spots. I had 23F at my house for a low, but I don't grow fruit there - but it wasn't much warmer inby Mike Biltonen - Grower Research
Re: Wine grapes for the North - 6 months ago
Nebbiolo was the only other vinifera variety. The site is amazing. Great elevation, slope and aspect, superb air drainage, good soil, no grapes or anything else nearby. I think we're going with the Watson tall trellis for better sunlight receptivity and the ability to run sheep through the vineyard in the future. It will also keep the vines and fruit higher off the ground reducing the potentby Mike Biltonen - Grapes
Re: Wine grapes for the North - 6 months ago
There are some great insights from guests on Adam Huss' Organic Wine Podcast. That said, AEA, while certainly holistic, is focused mostly on the nutritional side of the equation and selling product. Whereas, Michael's Phillips' holistic approach was a bit broader and focused on biology and using some other sprays such as neem and karanja, as well as more traditional organic spraysby Mike Biltonen - Grapes
Re: Newbie question on spraying with Michael's Holistic Spray - 7 months ago
Hi, I can pretty much guarantee you that the only problems you will have are NOT just deer and cicadas. Deer can be a perennial problem, while cicadas emerge on a 17 year cycle (I am not sure where you are in the their cycle). as well, there are many problems that you will face as an apple grower. But without knowing the varieties you are growing or anything about your site, its hard to know whby Mike Biltonen - Just Talk
Re: Pear sensitivity to neem oil? - 7 months ago
Which pear varieties seem to be sensitive in your conditions? Which do not seem to be? Also, I'd be interested to learn if the same purported sensitivity to azadirachtin in neem is the same as with an commerical aza product. I may just try that myself unless some has experiences already. I did stop using neem sprays a few years back when I didn't like the phyto problems I was seeing.by Mike Biltonen - Spray Nuance
Re: pruning and rain - 7 months ago
It depends. If the weather is warm, sunny and dry after the rain, then I wait until the plant surface is physically dry before pruning. I also allow at least a few hours in between my last cut and any ensuing rain. If the weather is cool, cloudy, or drizzly (on and off) the I would wait until the next stretch of dry weather. I think that waiting is more important for stone fruit than for pome fruby Mike Biltonen - Pruning
Re: Spray timing - 7 months ago
Hi Thomas, A few questions for you to answer so we can better help. - what sprays are you considering? Are they specific to an insect or disease, or are they more early season FAK sprays? - how far apart are the trees phenologically? Days, weeks, ? I know you gave us the stages, but with this year's heat sometimes they'll move quickly in a matter of days.by Mike Biltonen - Just Talk
Re: Stone fruit brown rot (monalinia) and spray nuance - 8 months ago
I've been meaning to ask what the reusability or recyclability of these bags are? Are they compatible with organic certification? It seems like an awful lot of plastic, even though the intended use seems reasonable.by Mike Biltonen - Fungal Pathogens
Re: Stone fruit brown rot (monalinia) and spray nuance - 8 months ago
To your last question, it's all worth discussion because there are no easy solutions (or even hard ones at this time). Brown rot (Molinia fructicola) is a tough beast to tackle. You can get blossom infections. You can get infections throughout the season. But it is the biggest problem around harvest as 1) fruit cracking increases, 2) sugars rise), 3) humidity, and 4) hot temperatures and accby Mike Biltonen - Fungal Pathogens
Re: Lichen and moss as allies - 8 months ago
Interesting line of inquiry. I am very interested in the specific phytochemistry of plants, so mosses and lichens fit in well. But, alas, I know only what I can scour from the internet. Here is one abstract suggesting very interesting potential: Abstract Mosses have been neglected as a study subject for a long time. Recent research shows that mosses contain remarkable and unique substancesby Mike Biltonen - Ecosystem Connections
How Do You Thin Your Apples (and Why)? - 9 months ago
At the recent Berkshire Roundtable (affectionately known as Stump Sprouts) we had a vigorous discussion about apple thinning. There was discussion of seasonal objectives, philosophies, sprays, and economics. This lead to a what I hope will be a good discussion here about about how "you" - the apple grower - approach thinning and why. One of the principle objectives I had was to create aby Mike Biltonen - Organic Thinning
Holistic Orcharding: What's It All About? (a webinar series) - 9 months ago
Even though we are mostly in throes of a mild yet ongoing winter, the growing season will soon be upon us. This will be the third year that I have offered a Holistic Orcharding webinar series for interested growers from novice to advanced. There is a heavy emphasis on science - both traditional and esoteric - all designed to bring a practical understanding of how and why holistic orcharding worksby Mike Biltonen - Just Talk
Spray Tank Mix Order - 9 months ago
In a previous thread, there was a discussion of pH and other issues that affect spray tank efficacy. However, I haven't seen posted (correct me if I've missed it) is spray tank mix order based on product formulation. Knowing "what" you are spraying must go beyond what the ingredient list is. You need to know the formulation and more often than not the labeled "inert ingreby Mike Biltonen - Spray Nuance
Re: pH measurements and adjustments - 9 months ago
I don't use litmus strips for the exact reason described above. A pH/EC meter is my go-to (manufacturer Hanna, many different models), but you need to be aware of calibration, storage and replacing the probes every once is a while (per manu specs). Now, pH is obviously important and if I need to reduce the it I use citric acid and nothing else. AEA a few years ago opened my eyes to the imporby Mike Biltonen - Spray Nuance
Re: Spectrum Basics - 9 months ago
I support this and have applied Spectrum (and others) to the foliage and tree architecture. My theory has been: I can't keep it all on the tree anyway and with runoff a good portion hits the ground anyway and with photoxidation the breakdown on the surface of the tree reduces its overall lifespan and viability anyway. One question though: did AEA explain why they didn't think it was appby Mike Biltonen - Spray Nuance