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Wi

OK starting over again....

I use biotamax bi-weekly. About 1 full tablet / 5000 sqft. So if treating a smaller area I break the tablet. This is what I do and not necessarily the best option for everyone.

It was definitely not ideal conditions for pollination (heat). There were a few hundred seeds in the fruit, but all but that 27-28 were empty.

2/17/2012 9:10:42 AM

Ohio

Chris
that Biotamax is great stuff, thanks for turning me onto it a couple years back, I wont grow with out it now.

2/17/2012 10:24:56 AM

Mass

Chris, I got your email and replied, did you get it?
Pete

2/17/2012 10:44:46 AM

Wi

No email Pete. Nothing in Junk either. Try changing the subject line.

2/17/2012 11:09:55 AM

nOVA sCOTIA

If you don't mind me asking Chris...What are you treating?Just soil?or soil and plants?

2/17/2012 12:27:34 PM

Mass

Tried again,,, Wonder if you can put a tracker on email to see where the heck it went too?

2/17/2012 12:34:50 PM

Mass

Chris, if you dont get this one, can you email me your mailing address, so I can send a bubble. I did get the email from you before.
thanks
Pete

2/17/2012 12:36:22 PM

Joliet, IL

I also used biota max every 2 weeks last year and used actinovate at the same time also. Basically used it in spring to get a good population going and then once in early june then every 2 weeks from there on. Disease pressure was at its max with the high heat and humidity last year and I did get some late season diseases with aphids, but was realitively disease free most of the season. Powdery mildew stilled showed up but seemed a lot less prolific and was much easier to handle when it showed in small patches and was then kept in check with stylet oil and quintec. I, like everyone else had to deal with a higher than average 'rot' type fungi and bacteria that is naturally present to break down anything and everything like at the floor of a jungle. Cleaning of wounded areas where rot found a foothold in fissures or small vine splits was still necessary all season. But I still managed to get a decent pumpkin from each of the 3 plants I grew. My arsenal of these products along with rootshield and a product called "thrive" will be used again. Do I know for a fact they work? No. But anything to try to fight the good fight in these high pressure disease seasons is worth it in my eyes. If you read farmer forecasts with this mild winter, they are all saying earlier pressure at higher levels than normal predicted for 2012. Fight the good fight.

2/19/2012 11:09:03 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Shazzy, I have been looking for organic alternatives and I looked into that stylet oil you mentioned. Do you know if it can be used with neem oil or is it a pretty similiar product? Thanks

2/19/2012 8:10:36 PM

Joliet, IL

Not sure Luke. You can use stylet oil in a hand pump sprayer and set the nozzle to a higher pressure stream and rub the end of the wand on the splotch while squirting with pressure and you will see the white disappear as the stylet oil loosens the attach mechanism of the pm spores. And then after point specifc treatments like this, adjustthe nozzle for better wide coverage and spray both sides of leaves. It is not 100 percent affective but is a great weapon for your arsenal against pm. It also slows down aphids and spider mite damage.

2/20/2012 10:05:23 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Thank you, Shazzy. There is so much out there my head is spinning, and looking for stuff used by experienced growers like yourself.

And Thanks Chris for Biotamax rates.

2/20/2012 10:41:04 AM

Preston CT

I used it last year because I won it at the SNGPG spring seminar. I lost all the plants due to YVD but when I pulled the plants they had the best root systems I have had in 3 years! Lots of root hairs; the entire patch soil under the canopy was a dense root mass with limited weeds. I hope the tube I got is still good this year.

2/20/2012 1:52:49 PM

Muddy Waters

Thanks for the Heat info.I figured that was the issue with low count in the north.What time of Day did you pollinate?

2/21/2012 7:13:56 AM