When do you first spray cooper?

[WTNUT]

When do you first spray cooper in the spring and when is your last application?

 

[2ndHand]

Interested in seeing what others have to say. I haven't used copper before.

 

[WTNUT]

I am spraying this week and it should be a few days before silver tip. I think you can spray until you first start to see green. I will have to double check though.

 

[2ndHand]

I am spraying this week and it should be a few days before silver tip. I think you can spray until you first start to see green. I will have to double check though.

Does copper and dormant oil provide similar benefit / not sure - thanks!

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Copper is somewhat beneficial for FB and dormant oil helps mostly by smothering over wintering mite eggs and some other not good critters. I have applied both already and that's it for me. I will do some streptomycin spraying after petal fall if I feel the conditions are favorable for FB

 

[WTNUT]

What does the strepomycn do? If I recall, there is a split of authority on whether it helps prevent FB.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Supposed to help with FB. Yes all you read is that there is really no magic bullet for FB. But spraying copper will kill what's on the tree in dormancy and strep will go in the blooms and supposedly help kill the FB bacteria source

 

[2ndHand]

Copper is somewhat beneficial for FB and dormant oil helps mostly by smothering over wintering mite eggs and some other not good critters. I have applied both already and that's it for me. I will do some streptomycin spraying after petal fall if I feel the conditions are favorable for FB

Thanks for the info Aero! No spraying yet for me this year. Last weekend I did spread gypsum around the drip line of all my trees. Did you apply the copper before the dormant oil? Thanks ;)!!

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I sprayed my copper with the dormant oil in same tank

 

[yukonhunter]

I spray copper on my peach trees, works great against leaf curl

 

[WTNUT]

Can you mix your copper and oil and apply at the same time?

 

[2ndHand]

I sprayed my copper with the dormant oil in same tank

Thanks Aero!!

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Can you mix your copper and oil and apply at the same time?

Yes that's what I did

 

[WTNUT]

How much oil do you mix per gallon? What type of copper are you using? I used Copu 500 and it gave spray rates per acre. I ended up adding 1 pound to 25 gallons of water? Anyone have any suggestions on how much to add per gallon. Finally I know you can apply copper to 1/2 green, Can you apply oil past silver tip? I mixed my copper and oil together and sprayed. I have one 1/2 of a tank left and by next week I will have several trees between silver tip and 1/2 green.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I used 2 lbs of copper per 60 gallons and 11/2 gallon of oil for 60 gallons

 

[DeerfieldApples]

DO NOT spray oil and copper together post green tip! Dormant oil is used for mite control and copper is used for canker/ fire blight/ an early scab control. The idea behind copper early is to spray and hopefully maintain some presence of copper on the trunks of the tree through bloom. This helps reduce innoculum from previous years fire blight cankers. For deer apples where fruit finish is not a concern I recommend finding a safe copper to use on your trees year long at low rates. Also, do not use strep past bloom unless your spraying immediately following a hail storm. Strep is useless against the shoot blight stage of fire blight and using it for that just increases the risks for resistance. Strep should be applied during bloom right before a rain event. Apogee and copper are both good tools for somebody looking to grow wildlife fruit.

 

[WTNUT]

Is that 1/2 a gallon of oil. Or 1.5 gallons? I used the same amount of copper as you, but was lighter on the oil. How late can you spray the oil?

 

[aerospacefarmer]

One and a half Read the label for the dosage

 

[WTNUT]

Well I applied two coats of copper and oil before the buds broke open. The timing worked out perfect for once I sprayed one week, had some rain and then sprayed one day before the first buds started to break. Honestly, this is the first year I have sprayed either oil or copper and I was surprised at how well is stuck to the trees. I have rind grafted 5 of my topped FB trees see photos below. We are spending the week at the farm for spring break so I will certainly get the remaining 7-8 completed in a day or two. I am going to spray Captan if I am at 1/2 inch green this week, but think I will hold off on Imiden until 90 percent petal fall. What do you do? Some will spray once early and well before bloom but I don't think the risk is worth the reward. I sprayed one time fairly early and I believe it kept bees away from pollinating - was a pretty dry year through.

 

[WTNUT]

I am starting with three but will likely cut back to one after scions establish. This is one of my first trees and I had no idea about pruning to central leader.