Has anyone sprayed their fruit trees with diluted epsom salts? My neighbor says he will try it this year as he if fed up with the cost of commercial sprays. If this works I would like to try getting back into fruit trees again. It would be a cost efficient remedy if it works. Please advise. Thanks.

-- Lynn(MO) (mscratch@semo.net), February 09, 2001

Answers

Lynn, I too would be interested in this answer. We have about 18 fruit trees and are wanting to add more. We are also in Missouri. Am looking forward to the answers.

-- Wendy@GraceAcres (wjl7@hotmail.com), February 09, 2001.

I personally have never heard of spraying fruit trees with epsom salts. I believe epsom salts contains magnesium and I have heard of people using it as a type of fertilizer. I used in once on my tomato plants, not as a spray, I mixed it with the soil, and it did seem to help. I have heard of using baking soda as a spray to help keep down fungus problems but I think you have to spray it every week or so. I'll be anxious to hear what every one else has to say as I would prefer not to use poisonous sprays. Dormant oil spray in the late winter is supposed to help too. I'll be doing that soon.

-- bwilliams (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), February 09, 2001.

G'day Lynn i am replying from down under but i got this from an elderly hungarian couple. they dissolve copper sulphate in water (a couple of hand fulls to a bucket)then add enough lime to make the brew creamy in consistency. this is painted on the trunks of their fruit trees (they look white washed)up to a height of about 3 feet. They have no problems with fruit fly,codlin moth,leaf curl etc. we will probably paint our trees this year. Good luck Peter.

-- Peter Lock (plock@iprimus.com.au), February 10, 2001.