Crop Programs
Organic Fruit Tree Program
Soil amendments — apply in late summer-early fall according to soil test
1ST Year —Dry Fertilizer Amendments
100 –200 pounds Granular Limestone (hi Calcium-low Magnesium)
75-100—pounds/Acre K Sulfate (0-0-50)
350-600—pounds/Acre of colloidal or reactive Rock Phosphate
25-50—pounds/Acre Granular Seaweed
Ongoing
100-300—pounds/Acre of Gypsum, per year as needed-watch soil test results & adjust rate
25—pounds/Acre Granular Seaweed
Spray Soil -as following Residuce Program w/ water
Apply in Late Summer/Early Fall after harvest before cold weather
25 gal mix per acre application
1.6 Oz/Acre Residuce Plus dry formula
2 Gal/Acre Residuce Plus liquid or SP1 Biological
2 Gal/Acre Dramm One Fish Formulation (helps control disease)
12 Gal/Acre Pillar Trace Mineral Pk
2-4 Oz/Acre Mycotrol O – Beauveria bassiana fungi
(Bio-insecticide –proliferates in cool wet soils–helps control many plant eating insects)
Early Spring Soil Nutrient Package –apply to soil under canopy around drip line while trees are dormant and before greenup
50 gal per acre application
Blend in the order presented
40 gal Water
2 gal Drammatic “ONE” Fish Formula (contains fish stabilized with phos acid, 4 species of kelp, energizer composed of fulvic acid and humic acid derivatives plus Sodium Nitrate)
6 gal AER Pillar w/Boron (includes K Sulfate, Fish, Sodium nitrate, B, Mn, Zn)
2 gal AER SP-1 Biological Package (contains seaweed extracts)
(stimulates root growth for better water and nutrient uptake to increases disease control )
Add following Mycotrol O —if none was applied in late summer or early fall
2-4 Oz/Acre Mycotrol O – (Biological Insect Control) Beauveria bassiana fungi
(Bio-insecticide –proliferates in cool wet soils–helps control many plant eating insects)
Caution: Pre-mixing any of the biological prior to application is not advised.
K-Sulfate, Chilean Nitrate and AER Calcium O can be added
Caution: Pre-mixing any of the biological prior to application is not advised.
Paint Diatomaceous Earth Slurry on the tree trunk about two feet above the ground level to help control many crawling insects like Plum Curcullio.
Foliar Nutrient Package plus insect /disease suppression
NOTE: If trees show signs of disease & wet weather persists, apply this more frequently.
Start applications at late dormancy and every 7-14 days as per spray sched- ule, along with dormant oils or lime sulfur sprays as recommended.
25-50 gal per acre application
Blend in the order presented and apply up to and through harvest as desired
19—46 gal Water per acre
25 to 50 pound Surround (use 50# /acre Early in season tapering off to 25# / acre Late)
2 gal Drammatic “ONE” Fish
2 gal AER Pillar w/Boron
2 quart Calcium O—alternate with 2 gal AER K Sulfate solution
Add 1 gal SP-1 AER Biological
—discontinue using SP1 after fruit set, approx. 30-45 days before harvest but notice: if disease gets uncontrollable apply Storox, Oxidate or Hydrogen Peroxide (1 to 125) alone in water and then (within 24 hrs) apply above Dramm “One” Fish Formula with out the SP1.
Optional Inputs- Include an additional organic insect/disease suppression package as needed.
1 gal Molasses (5# sugar) – aid in raising the brix
4 oz Neem Blend 45 (neem oil + other botanical oils) –systemically control insects and disease
2 oz Excite (Add last to the tank mix)- disease suppression
1 lb. Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom salts) add when Mg uptake is low
2-4 oz Mycotrol O – Beauveria bassiana fungi (Bio-insecticide which helps suppress Japanese Beetle, Aphids and other Hard Shells)
2 oz Garlic GP (garlic oil w/ 24% Sulfur)
(Repells insects and has Fungicidal properties)
Note:
Fruit Trees, Strawberries and Brambles are potassium lovers and are very sensitive to Boron, Manganese and Zinc deficiency.
Organic Nitrogen –Fruit Trees, Strawberries, Brambles and Grapes prefer ammonium forms of Nitrogen. Drammatic ONE would be the preferred nitrogen source.
K-Sulfate, Chilean Nitrate and AER Pillar or Premium Blend O can be pre-blended
Caution: Mixing of the SP1 Biological prior to application is not advised
Spray Solutions should have a ph of 5.8-6.0 early in the season and 6.8 to 7.0 during bulking (fruit set until harvest) To lower the ph add Dramm Fish and Apple Cider Vinegar, to raise the ph use baking soda.
Insect Repellant/Pheromone Formula
20 gal per acre application- add Cedar Gard to above foliar spray
20 gal Water
1 qt Cedar Gard
Use the Cedar Gard to suppress the feeding of the Japanese Beetles, Picnic Bugs, and other hard to control plant eaters .
Controlling Soil Bourne Insects
Apply Mycotrol O along with Dramm Fish as a soil treatment along with water to add the beneficial fungi to the soil. The mode of action of the fungi, Beuvaria bassiana, is to infect the insects over wintering in the soil. Effective against plum curcillio, grubs, wireworms, borer and beetles in the soil. Ask for details on the application.
Neem oil, Garlic Oil, Cedar Gard, Mycotrol O and Surround WP are EPA registered bio-pesticides
Cultural Practices
Best Cultural Practices include: rotations, excellent weed control and good drainage (plant trees on slightly raised beds with gentle slope and tile systems in place). The most damaging diseases tend to flourish in tight wet soils, after certain weeds and/or host plants and most generally where soil is low in Calcium and nutrient imbalances occur from; deficiencies, insoluble chemical bonds and weather related tie ups.. Planting resistant varieties and disease free plants can be a good practice for helping to control diseases, but direct feeding through foliars is the shortest way to improving plant health and increasing nutrient density. Hi nutrient density, measured with hand held instruments ( refractometer /plant sap pH meter/conductivity meter) help monitor the health of the crop and guide the successful use of nutritional, biological and botanical products. Following up with tissue/petiole tests confirm what’s going on. This alone can be a most beneficial and effective way of controlling both disease and insect vectors.
Formulas used and recommended by Advanced Biological Solutions Dec. 31, 2009