Copper Spraying - Avoiding Blossom
 

A t'villan made a remark that I was not aware of - which was avoid getting copper on blossom when spraying as it may affect it.

For those that spray, when you have leaves intermixed with flowers.....just short of individual hand painting each leaf, how do you spray.

I've got 4 plants that are showing black spots. I think it's septoria but too early too tell. Leaves are healthy but when you catch them in the right light, you can see some that are developing black spots.

An unaware visitor visiting my garden would think all is well and healthy. I know otherwise as
I am a close inspector daily.

I am dealing with grey mold and it is almost microscopic. On stems it is, I think, a lost cause.
But I have a few dozen healthy back-up plants.

I've been holding my other hand over the blossoms while copper misting. Most issues are on lower
leaves and removing what leaves are not important.
I have a small hand mister/spritzer for individual leaves. (potassium bicarbonate)

Copper too strong and too often will do a bit of unfortunate killing yet the proper dose will help
those of us suffering, :lol:
Not funny really but I'm of the age to accept what happens and do what I have time for.

I have a few dozen test starts I don't need, to experiment with.
Gloves or a barrier oil helps if gloves are an issue. (I make a beeswax coconut oil garden hand cream
that protects my hands since I hate gloves.)

Also depends on how many plants need such attention.

That sounds like a practical solution, Oakley. Just spraying a bit of soap on account of aphids this year, it annoys the hoohaa out of me to get soapy water on flowers or fruit. :( Unhappy to spray anything, but leaving the aphids would be worse... :no:

Since its me that said it, I think I need to clarify. I dont mean make sure none gets on the blossoms, if a little mist drift does, its fine. Just dont do a deliberate dousing spray. I didnt mean to get everyone crazy with no spray touching at all. That wouldn't even be possible, I think. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

I sprayed with copper at the lower recommended rate a week ago. Yestuerday I spent my afternoon pruning, picking and inspecting my plants and saw no evidence of the blossoms I sprayed last week being affected. I did however find a few more stink bugs and a small amount of foliage disease. Not so bad considering days are in the nineties now with high humidity and we have had some rain showers the past week. I can’t believe I’ve not seen any gray mold on my black tomato varieties yet. I guess the regular copper and alternating daconil sprays have been doing a good job of prevention. Most years by mid May I am battling EB and GM along with a horde of pests. The only significant problem I have had so far is garden teeming with flea beetles. I have never seen them this numerous or had so much leaf damage from them. As pesky as they have been this season they are much easier to deal with than the usual pests and diseases that descend on my garden this time of the year. I know from long hard experience that this good luck streak will abruptly end so I got out early and sprayed again in hopes of keeping it going a bit longer.

Bill :yes:

Came across this on one of my google expeditions.

[url]http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/vegetable_pesticide_series_should_i_use_it_during_bloom[/url]

Ami

I've never had problems with copper stunting growth or harming flowers at the recommended dilutions.