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["Dave Griffin" <griffingardens@earthlink.net>]

Doreen and all,

  Have a good look at your label before spraying zinc as some is too strong for new leaves and may defoliate the tree. I used Agro-K's foliar Zn spray this spring with no problems but may go to something stronger in the fall. Peaches and apricots are the only varieties that I have that seem to be affected by my Zn deficiency with the possible exception of sweet cherries, but there are too many variables with them to say anything definitive. Everything else bloomed like crazy both this year and last.

  In general, micro-nutrients not naturally present in the soil wash out of well drained soil readily so you may have to add them annually as I do. You don't need much (hence the micro) but if you need it you need it. They have a good laugh at me down at the co-op when I come in for my 3/4 of an ice cream pail of Zn, boron and copper mix, but then I like to entertain and it is worth the $6.50 and the derision to have apricots and peaches. At about a tablespoon per tree I put the mix on separately to get it evenly applied and still the big problem is to make it stretch through the entire orchard. And you CAN put on too much and end up with Zn poisoning. The good thing about foliar is that you know it is going to get to the tree without being blocked by an excess of something else as, for example, my high magnesium blocks uptake of potassium. Still, I'd try a soil application if your soil test indicates it if only because the roots are part of the tree too and do best when the soil chemistry is as well balanced as possible. Then later you can do a leaf analysis to see if it and everything else is making it into the tree.

 

Dave 

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Doreen Howard

To: griffingardens@earthlink.net;North American Fruit Explorers

Sent: 5/12/06 2:54:59 PM

Subject: Re: [NAFEX] No peaches this year

Dave Griffin's post about zinc deficiency is very interesting.  I'll get some and spray ASAP--if it ever stops raining.  There are a few buds left on branches that haven't dried and fallen. 

 

BTW, I had no blossoms on my Montrose apricot this year, either.  I thought it was because I pruned heavily in early March to shape the tree.  This is its third season in the ground and it's about eight feet high and wide.  I grew it from a pit that Del Stubbs sent.

 

My soil is alevial; I live on a glacier moraine.  So I never thought about trace element deficiency and never tested for them.  They could be missing, as the soil previously supported heavily fertilized blue grass turf, before I stripped the sod to create an orchard.  And, the orchard is mulched with wood chips, 4-5 inches deep.  It may be that the process of breaking them down is also tying up trace elements.

 

Thanks for the information, Dave.  Inquiring minds are what make NAFEX a terrific information source.

Doreen Howard