To drench, or not to drench ...

bragu_DSM 5

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

That is the question.

After reading lots of previous posts, I am almost convinced.

Did not do it last year, and everything was okay, but ...

If I drench with fungicide, what is the best timing?

• before I put them into dormancy exile, or when I bring them back, and pot in pots for the post holidays ...

• what should I use. Old posts suggest captan. If so, do I want a wettable powder, or there is a spray with bonide that I suspect could be slapped in a whipped cream container, soaking the bulb for a few minutes.

I made the mistake of calling the local nurseries (the respectable ones) and they completely confused me, and all their advice - of course they wanna sell stuff - is completely contrary to what I find here.

Also, when do you top the leaves, or do you just let them die back?

Opinions, thoughts or insight?

I am in Iowa, so stuff has to be brought in. All my bulbs are wonderful, firm, larger than last year and have tons of healthy roots. Must be the soil … some of the best in the world for farming.

TIA

dave

Featured Answer

confidentialforeyesonly

10 years ago

Look, I'm not an expert, but if you want to stay organic, you could try Mycorrhizae. They're symbiotic fungi that benefit the plant, but supposedly they also crowd out competing malicious microbes. Dunno how good they are at it, tho.

Those are root fungi, so that probably won't help if it's the leaves being affected instead of the bulb. If you are using fungicide, diluted honey or apple vinegar and supposedly even spit are supposed to be decent, though be careful with that vinegar. If you do use fungicide, I think it's likely (not an expert) that you would do it before dormancy because that's when they are most vulnerable to rot.

I personally don't cut off the leaves until they totally die off. They'll die when the bulb goes dormant, just cut them off then. Lets the bulb re-absorb the nutrients. On the other hand it doesn't really hurt them to cut them off, and if you have a disease problem, it can be safer to just do that. Most people top the leaves after cutting off water for a week to trigger dormancy.

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Comments (9)

itsmce (zone 6b, Kansas)
10 years ago
I'm no help Dave, as I have most of the same questions. Will be awaiting other's answers. (bump)
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confidentialforeyesonly
10 years ago
There are definitely more effective chemical fungicides than the organic ones I mentioned, but I'm a cheapskate, so I wouldn't know.
bragu_DSM 5 thanked confidentialforeyesonly
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
10 years ago
What drenches are you all using (not organic)? There is a Bayer 2 in 1 for bushes and shrubs. I bought this on accident! I had been using the Bayer 3 in 1 granules. There is a 3 in 1 liquid concentrate from Bayer...

BAYER ADVANCED 32-oz All-In-One Rose & Flower Care Qt Conc Liquid...is that the one that most are using?
bragu_DSM 5 thanked kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
Ray Schuck
10 years ago
Yes. Two caps full per gallon plus spreader sticker to help the plant absorb it better.

Maida
bragu_DSM 5 thanked Ray Schuck
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
10 years ago
Thanks Ray!

Donna was using a different product I think, but I have been happy with Bayer granules, so think the Bayer drench will work well in my set up this winter/next spring.

Hope your beds are drying out. The 7-8"of rain made for an interesting weekend!
:-)
K
Ray Schuck
10 years ago
They should dry out just in time for the rains next weekend,

Maida
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
10 years ago
As long as the freezing temps hold off a little longer mine should be ok. Yours too.
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
10 years ago
Drenched a couple of weeks ago and will drench again next week. Waiting till there are no signs of mealy bugs, then we'll unpot, clean bulbs, clean pots and repot in new soil. Thank goodness this is only about 20 bulbs that were on my back porch.