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Bristol R.I. USA

Now that the season is mid to late. When do you begin to add potash to the plants. The fruits are growing well and i'd like to have plenty of potassium. Currently i'm adding a cup every week. I started last week.

8/8/2010 11:35:27 PM

Rapid City, SD

don't use the stuff here

8/9/2010 12:51:21 AM

Rhode Island

depends on your latest soil or tissue test kenny. potassium is only one of several nutrients that the plant/fruit may be needing.
calcium.magnesium.boron,to name a few are just as important for wall thickness and growth.

8/9/2010 6:48:25 AM

churchville, ny

Pap ... I have granular gypsum left from the spring. I've been adding 0-0-25, seaweed, humic acid and neptunes harvest foliar to my 700 pounders and wonder if it would be a good idea to add some gypsum for the calcium and nagnesium. I could add granular or make a solution and add as a weak solution. I have done a soil test since April. Thanks swaintech

8/9/2010 9:11:52 PM

Rhode Island

why not ? go for it. its time to put your foot down. what do you do when you car starts to stall? you pump the gas. its a natural reaction.
just dont go crazy with it.

8/10/2010 6:50:01 AM

churchville, ny

OK, I'll get it a try on my 785 Pukos and 1229 Nesbitt.. I went totally organic for fertilizer this year but my leaves are not the nice dark green they should be. I'm also battling some downy mildew.... I talked to Len Stellpflug tonight and he has not sprayed any chemicals since spraying Ortho tree and shrub on June 6th and his leaves look great... ALWAYS makes me wonder if spraying the neptunes, kelp, humic acid, potassium, neem oil, daconil actually hurts the leaves since mine look yellow and burnt near the stump.

8/10/2010 9:52:01 PM

Fresno, CA

swaintech, Matt DeBacco told me neem oil tends to beat up the leaves. And mine are beat up looking for sure. I'm discontinuing use of neem oil becuase apparently it doesn't do much for what I was using it for anyway.

8/10/2010 11:45:18 PM

Navarre,OH

Yea next year I may not use neem. My leaves look like total crap!

8/11/2010 8:51:35 AM

churchville, ny

Yes - neem could be the culprit and I thought someplace I read that you have to wait 21 days between sprays with other fungicides - live and learn - thanks for the input

8/11/2010 10:04:51 AM

Bloomington, IN

Neem oil has only made up a small fraction of my spray schedule so far and my leaves still look like crap. There are lots of things that can cause that though, like spraying other pesticides too frequently, high heat, walking through the plant a lot, ect. If you use neem oil I would suggest not using it during periods of high heat (85+), and at half strength. I've used neem oil with success against PM, it just needs to be used wisely.

8/11/2010 10:54:40 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

P-cholo, I agree. I think it can be a combo of many things especially the heat. I have been fighting PM so I have to spray, but the heat index is +110 everyday similar to your weather. Next year, I will be spraying much earlier to be preventative so in turn I will avoid disease and end up spraying much less especially during the really hot months.

8/11/2010 12:11:20 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

I'll second that I'll be doing some preventative measures rather then spraying seaweed and doconil. I heard that Milk will certainly help.

8/11/2010 12:57:36 PM

Navarre,OH

Found out the other day neem is very "hot".
Spilled a little in the grass when mixing into my sprayer and a day after the grass is black and dead! I know its full strength on the grass but still....yikes.

8/12/2010 9:19:36 AM

Fresno, CA

We have one period of high heat (85+) - it's called 'summer'. I always sprayed Neem when it was the coolest part of the day (under 80) but spraying it when the daily high is under 85 would be impossible in Fresno. My leaves could certainly be due to high heat, but not pesticides. My use is light, infrequent and organic. Likewise Neem was rotated with dawn soap (aphids) and milk (PM) to make it infrequent but I did use it at regular strength (2oz per gallon).

8/12/2010 8:46:09 PM