When To Spray
As soon as your daytime weather reaches 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it is time to spray perennials with dormant oil. You want to spray during a time when it isn’t going to rain for at least 24 hours and a minimal amount of wind. We find mornings tend to be most calm around our farm and the best time to apply any sprays.
Dormant Oil Definition
What a great question! Have no fear, this is a spray everyone will feel ok about. Typically it is some kind of mineral oil solution, but they can be vegetable oil based too. Always read the ingredients if you are trying to keep organic. Some dormant oils are combined with other chemicals like fungicides which may not qualify as organic.
You can mix up your own dormant oil as well if you want total control. We are testing out a formula created by Cornell University this year and are anxious to see the results. Their nourishing formula is below in case you want to follow along with us this spring.
- 2 tablespoons of horticultural oil
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda
- 1 tablespoon of kelp
- 1 tablespoon of mild dish soap
- Mix with 1 gallon of water
What To Spray With Dormant Oil
You will want to spray apple, crabapple, plum, quince and pear trees with dormant oil. Some bushes benefit as well such as gooseberry and currant. Other fruit trees don’t carry the same pests and won’t need to be sprayed. Dormant oils won’t usually harm beneficial insects and have low toxicity levels for humans and pets. Do not spray dormant oils on cedars, maples, spruces, and junipers.
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