Thursday, August 12, 2010

Time for milk

Right around veraison is when many stop their powdery mildew (PM) spray schedule, mostly due to the fact that the grapes are relatively resistant to PM after veraison (leaf tissue and grapes are most susceptible during leaf growth / berry development per this article by Dr. Wilcox.) 

However, disease pressure here is so high (given the fact that temps have been within the ideal PM range, 65-85 F), that I'm going to give the vines at least one more spray of the lightest weight stuff I know that works as an erradicant: whey.  Many backyard vineyards use a 10% solution of nonfat milk exclusively - a practice backed up by Peter Crisp, out of the University of Adelaide down in Australia.  

Given that I just ran out of Stylet Oil and would rather not store a nearly-full container all summer, decided to give milk a try.

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