[compost_tea] compost tea update

From: Judi Stewart <js_at_olympus.net>
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2003 03:49:23 -0700

 
I usually ask the Fruit Club members who are using compost tea what
results or
differences they've noticed from either this year's or prior year's
growth.
Saturday was 'compost tea day.' One member told me that this year
he noticed there were no pear slugs or pearworms.
 
I also have pear and cherry trees, a few more cherry trees this
year than last. I used to hand pick the pear slugs one by one. It can
get to be a chore if you
have many trees; it's messy, time consuming, and you always miss a few.

When trees grow tall it's a real hassle.
 
This is also the first year that I've used compost tea and it's
also the first year I don't have any pear slugs. They've been in my
pear and cherry trees each previous year. I applied the compost tea as
a soil drench. I thought I'd use Surround on the pear trees this year
but changed my mind.
 
I have another pear problem; pear blister mite. It's terrible and can
defoliate the entire tree if not taken care of. The mites get in
between the leaf layers and
suck out the plant juice, eventually turning the leaves black. You have
to pick off each
affected leaf. I should have sprayed the trees with sulfur in the fall
before leaf drop,
but I became busy and missed the opportunity. But since I soil drenched
the pears with
compost tea, using a little more on the pears than on the other fruit
trees, I see the pears still have some pear
blister mite, but it's not as severe as last year. And I have more pears
this year than last.
I also think my pears are a problem to pollinate.
 
There are many disbelievers in the Fruit Club who are now using compost
tea because they're
listening to what the other members are saying about using it, or they
tried it and are noticing
something good is happening. They're not sure how or why it's "working"
just that it is. Some
members originally came for 3 gallons and now take 10, or 10 gallons and
now use 50.
 
Judi
 
 
 
 






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Received on Mon Aug 11 2003 - 15:54:47 EDT

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