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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] No peaches this year

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  • From: "Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>, griffingardens@earthlink.net
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] No peaches this year
  • Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 20:10:16 -0700

An old orchardist I once knew had a novel way to apply zinc. He drove a bunch of galvanized shingle nails into the trunk. It specifically had to be shingle nails because they have very wide heads and short shanks. As a result, as the tree grew, it pushed the nail out with the expanding trunk instead of growing over it. That way, if the tree had to be cut, the nails could be found to remove them easily.
I never had a need to use the method, but this fellow swore by it.
-Lon Rombough
Grapes, writing, consulting, my book, The Grape Grower, at http://www.bunchgrapes.com Winner of the Garden Writers Association "Best Talent in Writing" award for 2003.
On May 12, 2006, at 7:20 PM, Dave Griffin wrote:

<x-tad-smaller>Doreen and all,</x-tad-smaller>
<x-tad-smaller>  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.</x-tad-smaller>
<x-tad-smaller>  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.</x-tad-smaller>
<x-tad-smaller> </x-tad-smaller>
<x-tad-smaller>Dave </x-tad-smaller>
<x-tad-smaller> </x-tad-smaller>



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