Hi Bill We use oil religiously up until full pink bloom at About 6 US gallons per acre . we haven't sprayed an additional miticide in over 15 years. We consider it the best first step in our insect/mite program.. but it is time consuming . avoid frost forecast by 48 hours..
The secret to the whole thing is water volume . if you don't get 200 to 250 gallons per acre on M26 /M7 size trees .don't bother. Coverage isn't important it's everything.. As far as I'm concerned the yield thing is the latest urban myth . It is all the chit chat here in Ontario .seems to have originated in Western New York nobody I know has found any scientific research that supports this claim .. You know the margins on Mineral oils don't stack up very favourably compared to the other products people are selling . doug From: apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net [mailto:apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net] On Behalf Of William Sharp Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011 9:54 AM To: Apple-crop discussion list Subject: [apple-crop] oil spray at pink on apples I am in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. We are at tight cluster and will be in pink by Monday. I understand that an oil spray is most effective on mites at early pink, so I am planning to try that on a small block at about 3 gallons oil per acre. Does anyone have experience with oil at this timing? Also, I have heard that the oil spray can reduce yield. Is this because it makes the blossom more susceptible to frost? Bill Sharp Timberville Virginia
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