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The whole gamut of fungal disease concerns, from disease specifics to old school organics (mineral fungicides) to biological innovation.
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Results 1 — 30 of 41Re: granulosis for codling moth - 2 years ago
Molly are you using neem ? I started using neem and surround 2006 / 2007 . Around 2012 I started using the odd virosoft If the heat here didn't allow me to use the neem . With 16000 lbs production I could count the damage on both hands . I may have raised an eyebrow or two with that statement so yes I may have missed some but not many . I found that my sales increased substantiallyby David Doncaster - Bug by Bug
Re: Peach disease - 2 years ago
That does look like my culprit Paul , thank you so much . ( I need to learn to talk better computer , that never came up for me ) Have you had experience with this ? Davidby David Doncaster - Just Talk
Peach disease - 2 years ago
I have something going on with my peaches . They have been prone to leaf curl but I hit them quite hard with copper this year . That part is looking good . But now I'm finding the branches are seeping . In some places the bark has split in others it's where I did a pruning cut . The " ooze " is both clear or amber in colour . Branches will go dark and die off . sorry not abby David Doncaster - Just Talk
Re: 20% vinegar - 2 years ago
Well David , some weeds you just don't want ,Rush Skeleton weed , Scotch Thistle . These guys have made the gov. most unwanted list . If I ignore them the local authorities will come do it at great expence and with stuff I don't want on the property . The poison Ivy , I'm just getting tired of finding it's new hiding spots . These you usually find when you get caught short inby David Doncaster - Just Talk
EM's and dormant copper - 2 years ago
Leaf curl on my peaches is the only place that I have not had success with EM's . This year I had to bite the bullet and hit them quite hard with copper . How soon can I start repopulating with EM's ? Davidby David Doncaster - Spray Nuance
20% vinegar - 2 years ago
Can anyone tell me if 20% vinegar has been made a registered herbicide in the US as it has been in Canada . At $125 per 5 liters is it worth a trip across the border ? Davidby David Doncaster - Just Talk
tree disease - 2 years ago
Finishing off the pruning ( early for me : ) trees are 60yrs plus on Antonovka root stock . The tip of one branch , aprox. 10" of a 3 foot branch has died off . Cutting back to the next branch I find the centre wood very dark . Is this telling me I still have a problem and need to continue cutting back until I hit white wood all the way through the branch ? Davidby David Doncaster - Just Talk
Re: Tractor sizing - 2 years ago
Bonnie , I have the Kubota L4400 ( 45 HP ) It seems to have all the power I need . If your place is as steep as mine my concern would be stability . I haven't been able to find wider lower profile tires that I would like so have made a rear counter balance that does help . For the balance I've made a set of short forks ( 3pt hitch ) cut a strong pallet in half , 42" wide x 24&quby David Doncaster - Sensible Equipment
Degree day calculation - 2 years ago
In calculating degree days for codling moth how does one handle a negative day ? Using Michaels formula , min. plus max. divide by two , subtract base of 50 . 42+56 = 98 divide by 2 = 49 - 50 = -1 Do I actually subtract from my total or does it just hold for the day ?by David Doncaster - Just Talk
Re: Honeycrisp Whizzbanger - 3 years ago
Michael , I had similar damage on my new Honeycrisp this year, but I also found it on my main producer which is spartans . We do have Brown Marmorated confirmed 30 miles south so everyone here is on the alert . Because of this I was introduced to it's cousin , the Consperse stink bug . They look very much alike . They normally hang out in weedy woody ares .Prefering mullen ,common mallow ,by David Doncaster - Bug by Bug
Re: scab conundrums - 3 years ago
Liz are you using the holistic spray mixture at all ?by David Doncaster - Fungal Pathogens
Re: Tow-Behind Sprayer (half acre) - 3 years ago
Ian if your doing surround use the diaphragm pump . I had a roller pump when I started . Three sprays with surround and she was toast . I went to a AR50 diaphragm on a 50 gallon three point hitch tank . I am rebuilding it for the first time this year . The diaphragms were still good the valves were iffy , and this will be my 3rd regulator in 8- 10 years . This is tractor powered , a Maby David Doncaster - Sensible Equipment
Re: Tractor sizing - 4 years ago
Ethan , I started off at Hillview with a massy fergusson 135 diesel . Two wheel drive . Because of the steepness of the place we put 18.4 x16.1 tires on the back filled with calcium . Little bugger could damn near climb trees . But she could also get me stuck in simple places and when your by yourself thats a challenge . So like you I went for a 4x4 , Kubota L4400 . I was told that I couby David Doncaster - Sensible Equipment
Re: shifting pest preferences and timing - 4 years ago
No , haven't seen any harassement Todd , ( would have to be here in the day light to see . ) just remnants of lady bugs in where there are stings and the lack of codling moth .by David Doncaster - Bug by Bug
Re: shifting pest preferences and timing - 4 years ago
Todd , I've done extremely well since swinging over to holistic practices . If we hit 1% our local authorities get crabby ( for codling moth ) For the last three years I can count all the worms we've found on one hand . I wonder if you might have noticed something I have . I have an absolutely huge population of very aggressive Lady bugs . These guys have as many as 10 spots on them aby David Doncaster - Bug by Bug
Re: labeling grafts - 4 years ago
Fabio , Avery Lable has a weather proof address label #5520 . In Canada about $55 for 1500 labels . Use a laser printer to print . These I stick to either a regular gardening ID strip ( a plastic strip with a hole on one end so you can make a loop ) or my growers supply also had " cardboard " tags with wires to attach to plants or trees . I'm at 5yrs and counting . The miceby David Doncaster - Grafting
Re: scab conundrums - 4 years ago
Michelle & Chris , I have been following Micheal for about 8yrs now . Because of events one day I was IPM the next I was holistic and I have not looked back since . The one year that I did have scab other orchards around me were totalled . At worst mine was about the size of a pencil eraser but most looked liked CM stings and from memory I'm going to say about 10% effected . Michael wasby David Doncaster - Fungal Pathogens
Re: Viability of damaged rootstock - 4 years ago
Just a thought for canadian growers , a couple years back when I was looking for Bud 118's I had turn to the US for supply . The US supplier suggested I contact a local major nursery here and " piggy back " my order with theirs . A quick phone call and they added what I needed .by David Doncaster - Grafting
Re: pruning concepts - 5 years ago
Being totally inexperienced when I started I jumped on the ability to market smaller apples . Not realizing I was over taxing the trees which eventualy kicked them into bi-annual production . Following the suggestion in the , Apple Grower , of leaving some of the water sprouts to become producing wood . This is my third year of this practice , it should be an off year but I am going to have a gooby David Doncaster - Pruning
Re: codling moth management - 5 years ago
Susan / Peter , I use a GV spray as well . Mine is called Virosoft . It comes frozen , I get it into useable amounts right away and refreeze . ( 1 oz ) In BC , we have an authority (SIR ) that is bound and determined that they will wipe out CM . To my knowledge mankind has only erased that which it has not tried to , and there is often some heat in our discussions . I would like to share anby David Doncaster - Bug by Bug
Re: scab conundrums - 5 years ago
I don't know if I've just been dumbassed lucky or what ....... When I started following Michaels direction I went in head first . There was some wish to do things healthier but fear may have been on top of the list . I was watching my dad give way to pesticide poisoning , just after finding Michaels website the hose popped on my sprayer and I took that full in the face ( mask on ) .by David Doncaster - Fungal Pathogens
Re: EM for the Home Orchard - 5 years ago
Michael , I am going to give some caution as to what kind of plastic jugs you use and how long you store them . For convenience I used 4liter milk jugs and will try to use them within 6 weeks . I have found that if they are held to long that sweet earthy smell of activated em's will permeate the house and you will have a mess to clean up . The jugs will spring a leak after awhile . I�by David Doncaster - Arboreal Microbes
Re: My scions molded, I need to hold over the rootstocks/seedlings til next year- How? - 5 years ago
James, I had 300 new roots and my scion didn't show . I planted them in my " nursery " about one foot apart and grafted in place the next year . I had some loss because birds try to sit on them and my dogs are doing their thing with other critters that are about . They stayed there until ready to transplant .by David Doncaster - Grafting
Re: New and "Improved" Varieties - 6 years ago
This apple was developed just a few miles down the road from me . They made a presentation to the local apple growers trying to get acceptance but there they stated more then just silencing and also said we would not have to worry about bees cross pollinating as they only fly 40- 50 feet . That got a few laughs . Heres a statement from CBAN , a biotechnology organization in Canada ; Reby David Doncaster - Apples
Re: Limb spreading - 6 years ago
I haven't had to do a lot of spreading but what I have done is use one of my pruned branches , preferably off the same tree . One end I look for a " Y " which can be braced against a branch on the " spread limb " ( or a cloths pin can be used as an anchor ) the other end gets cut to lenght and tucked into the crook of a higher branch . If need be a brad nail can be inseby David Doncaster - Pruning
sun scald - 6 years ago
The weather here right now is hot and dry ( 35C / 95F ) and up . Is there something I can do to keep them from sun scald ? The supplier here pushes a product called caltrac and of course I could go to surround but that makes for a fair amount of work later on .by David Doncaster - Spray Nuance
Re: Unidentified egg cases on terminal twigs - 6 years ago
I hope we are looking at the same thing here . My cases are " light and crispy " , They remind me of those deep fried pig skins . I found one a while back when I opened it up it was full of tiny worm type guys . About the size of a fruit fly . Unfortunately I put it down to answer the phone , when I got back my pup was sniffing around and had this ," forgive me father for I have sby David Doncaster - Bug by Bug
Re: Restoring fruiting in blueberries - 6 years ago
Heather , I'm not experienced with blueberries myself but happened to bump into an aquaintance that is . His first question was what is your ph . Blueberries like to be more acidic , in the 4- 4.5 range . Simptom , low yeilds , sickly looking plants . A soil test would be good . Also if memory serves me , these are fairly new to your care . Second question was how old is the wood ? Tby David Doncaster - Blueberries
Burr knots - 6 years ago
Looking for some thoughts . Down looking at the nursery getting ready to transplant my new stock . Better then 50% have what I believe are burr knots right at the graft . From what I've been able to find , if I plant them past the graft , the scion may root, so what actually will happen if it does ? What if I plant up the the graft , will I be OK ? Or am I just better off to start from scratby David Doncaster - Grafting
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