Author Topic: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit  (Read 34537 times)

Yorgos

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #100 on: April 05, 2019, 04:07:16 PM »
Perfect.  Thanks Millet. You make my day.
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edweather

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #101 on: July 11, 2019, 09:48:17 AM »
Didn't get much of a June flush on our small grapefruit and orange tree, and no new blossoms.  About 70 oranges set on the orange tree, and about 10 grapefruits. Do I still need to do a third spray?  Thanks,  Ed

Millet

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #102 on: July 11, 2019, 10:28:12 AM »
3d spray is to enlarge fruit, If you wish larger fruit.  The first spray, 2 months befpre expected bloom date is very important in setting a good bloom.  Did you do the first spray, and was it a couple months before expected bloom?

edweather

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #103 on: July 11, 2019, 11:29:09 AM »
Thanks for your reply. Yes, did the first spray in January, 6-8 weeks before bloom, and the second spray after blossom drop and fruit set. We wouldn't mind a bit larger fruit, so it sounds like a GO on the third spray. The oranges are a bit larger than golf ball size now. Ed

Millet

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #104 on: July 11, 2019, 03:20:24 PM »
One EXTREMELY important item, be absolutely sure to NEVER EVER let the a citrus tree's root zone become low on available water.  Even semi dry.  Doing so is a big timel killer of the bloom.

edweather

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #105 on: July 11, 2019, 03:27:29 PM »
Thanks, I will definitely keep that in mind.  We have sandy soil here, and I was soaking the root zone twice per week during our dry spring.  It doesn't take long for the soil/sand here to dry out. The rapid drainage, plus the heaving drinking of the citrus is a bad combination.  We had an inch of rain here two days ago, and the root zone is almost dry now.

Millet

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #106 on: July 11, 2019, 09:16:23 PM »
yes, sandy rapid draining soil, is a problem when it comes to maintaining an even moisture level in the tree's root zone.  Try your best when the tree is in bloom.  The bloom lasts a couple weeks +or -.

edweather

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #107 on: December 30, 2019, 08:29:59 PM »
Time to bump this thread.  It's been a mild winter here, and we will need to spray soon.  I waited until mid January last year, and that seemed a bit late.  Looking for a break in the wet weather, and a spraying we will go.

Millet

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #108 on: December 31, 2019, 02:17:50 PM »
Yes, now is the time for the first spray of Low biuret Urea.   All in all, the Urea spray program consists of 2  different sprays.  The first foliar spray, the winter prebloom spray  (now) is designed to increase flower number and yield of commercially valuable-sized fruit without reducing fruit size.  The second low-biuret urea foliar spray is designed to increase fruit size without increasing yield.  The 2nd spray extends the cell division stage of fruit development to achieve an increase in fruit size.  This second stage (cell division stage) end is characterized by maximum peel thickness.  Low-biuret urea second spray is most effective when applied between July 1 and July 20. All applications should be made to give good canopy coverage. For the up most foliage absorption,  solutions should be between pH 5.5 to 6.5.  I use distilled water instead of my residential water supply.    All sprays should be made when the air temperature is below 80-F.  Taking into consideration the potential maximum daytime temperatures, applications should be made in early morning or late afternoon to early evening.  Thank you Edweather, for bringing this to our timely attention.
« Last Edit: December 31, 2019, 02:23:23 PM by Millet »

Yorgos

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #109 on: January 06, 2020, 04:35:15 PM »
Is (NH2)2CO the same as low biuret urea?  I ordered low biuret urea from Alpha Chemical through Amazon last fall and just now noted it had this chemical formula on the label. There was no other verbiage on the package.
Thanks in advance
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Millet

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #110 on: January 06, 2020, 06:23:20 PM »
Y0rg0s -  YES

Yorgos

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #111 on: January 07, 2020, 05:54:08 PM »
..... All sprays should be made when the air temperature is below 80-F.  Taking into consideration the potential maximum daytime temperatures, applications should be made in early morning or late afternoon to early evening.  Thank you Edweather, for bringing this to our timely attention.

For us non-greenhouse citrus growers it's unlikely temps are ever below 80 down here on the upper Texas Gulf Coast in July (at least here in Houston, day or night). And the rule that one shouldn't ever spray when temps are above 90 means a dark of night spray regime in the summer. I imagine these temperature spray guidelines would also hard to follow in Florida and parts of California.   
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spaugh

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #112 on: January 07, 2020, 09:47:11 PM »
..... All sprays should be made when the air temperature is below 80-F.  Taking into consideration the potential maximum daytime temperatures, applications should be made in early morning or late afternoon to early evening.  Thank you Edweather, for bringing this to our timely attention.

For us non-greenhouse citrus growers it's unlikely temps are ever below 80 down here on the upper Texas Gulf Coast in July (at least here in Houston, day or night). And the rule that one shouldn't ever spray when temps are above 90 means a dark of night spray regime in the summer. I imagine these temperature spray guidelines would also hard to follow in Florida and parts of California.

We dont need to spray with anything to get good fruitset around here.  Never heard of anyone doing this and trees are loaded everywhere I look.  Almost every house grows citrus around here. 
Brad Spaugh

Millet

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #113 on: January 07, 2020, 10:58:18 PM »
Spaugh, the guidelines for the low biuret urea spray program is indeed heavily followed throughout California's citrus growers.   In fact, the guidelines that are posted in this thread are for California growers, and are published by the University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources in their publication "The Citrus Production Manual".  No matter how good of a crop your tree produces, following the Citrus Production Manual's guidelines, your tree will produce a larger crop, and more importantly, a crop with a larger and better quality fruit.

Yorgos, night time spraying is the second best time to spray, whether its spraying for this program, or general foliar spraying.  The absolute best time to foliar spray a citrus tree is in the early morning on a cloudy humid day.
« Last Edit: January 07, 2020, 11:05:31 PM by Millet »

spaugh

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #114 on: January 08, 2020, 12:47:23 PM »
I understand the literature is from the UC but Im telling in the real world here in CA no one is doing this and tree are absolutely loaded everywhere I look.  I have to thin the fruitset on my trees its so heavy. 

Then again, I pile hundred of pounds of mulch under my trees and also give occasional citrus fertilizer.  I think my tree is getting everything it could ask for in the ground.  Most citrus farms have bare soil and probably not so healthy soil. 

I know Im going against the grain here.  Im just offering alternative opinion on this.  Its something that is not necessary to get great citrus crops.  The proof of that is in my yard.  Im happy to post pictures.  Could they be "better" crops from spraying urea?  Maybe.  Or maybe I would have more leaf miner or aphids or some other problems then need to spray with even more stuff to try and fix problems I created. 
« Last Edit: January 08, 2020, 01:01:00 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

Millet

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #115 on: January 08, 2020, 03:30:14 PM »
Spaugh, your comments are always appreciated.  I certainly don't agree with your statement that no one is doing this, as urea sprays are very common in the citrus world. If your tree is producing all you need, or want, than you certainly can, or cannot, do as you wish.  I would agree with you that many home owners are not aware of the value that proper nutrition can do for a fruit crop.  The urea spray program has long been a great value to a citrus tree's production, and more importantly to the quality of the fruit produced.  Any way the best  to you and your tree..

spaugh

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #116 on: January 08, 2020, 06:24:03 PM »
I certainly don't agree with your statement that no one is doing this, as urea sprays are very common in the citrus world. I would agree with you that many home owners are not aware of the value that proper nutrition can do for a fruit crop.  The urea spray program has long been a great value to a citrus tree's production, and more importantly to the quality of the fruit produced.


And yet home grown grown citrus is almost always better than what you get at the store. 
Brad Spaugh

Millet

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #117 on: January 08, 2020, 08:12:10 PM »
Spaugh,  Yes & no

zephian

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #118 on: January 13, 2020, 12:03:03 PM »
I understand the literature is from the UC but Im telling in the real world here in CA no one is doing this and tree are absolutely loaded everywhere I look.  I have to thin the fruitset on my trees its so heavy. 

Then again, I pile hundred of pounds of mulch under my trees and also give occasional citrus fertilizer.  I think my tree is getting everything it could ask for in the ground.  Most citrus farms have bare soil and probably not so healthy soil. 

I know Im going against the grain here.  Im just offering alternative opinion on this.  Its something that is not necessary to get great citrus crops.  The proof of that is in my yard.  Im happy to post pictures.  Could they be "better" crops from spraying urea?  Maybe.  Or maybe I would have more leaf miner or aphids or some other problems then need to spray with even more stuff to try and fix problems I created.
I mulched my previously un-mulched citrus trees last fall and got much better quality/quantity from my trees.
I don't know what to do with it all. :( I thought about trying the urea but I don't know how I would get rid of all that fruit. My pomello broke because the fruit was to heavy. I had a wheel barrow full of 30+ fruits from the broken branch as big as my head.
-Kris

sunny

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #119 on: January 16, 2020, 10:52:57 PM »
I also sprayed my dekopons, pomelo's, fingerlimes with this recipe, i used 1% biuret urea and so far the plants look good.

My dekopon fruits (first harvest) were all disappointing in taste, not sweet at all and no sour....i hope this spray can improve the fruitquality since my tree's bloom all year around it seems (except the fingerlimes which have never bloomed so far).

The dekapons get yellow spots from sunshine and the fruitflesh underneath that part is always dry and bad.that part also gets fungus/rotting easy..i will try to bag some to keep them out of the full sun, maybe it helps.

for Thai climate can we spray them every few months with urea? We don't have a cold winter like you guys have.

sunny

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #120 on: January 17, 2020, 03:34:26 AM »
Great.  I'll spray it today evening after work.   I probably have to sell the extra to local.  If I can't sell it, is it good for any other trees?.  1 click purchase from Amazon is not convenience sometime.

Thank you Millet for your info.
tony

I'm curious about the "Good for other trees?" question as well.  In my online research, I didn't arrive at a definitive answer as to whether LBU is recommended for other fruit trees, such as Avocado, Peach, Plum, Cherry, Fig, Berries, and so forth.  Anyone
 care to comment?

I sprayed my citrus yesterday and i did a mango as well....i just walked past that mango and it's flushing now at many spots...it had never flushed before but i bought it recently. A 10 feet tall tree in a 1 gallon pot...very tall in a tiny pot...

I will spray another mango tonight..it's also recently bought and has never flushed or moved.

edweather

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #121 on: December 17, 2020, 11:26:49 PM »
Time for the annual bump of this thread. I'm surprised every year at how early the blossoms appear here in SE Georgia. Will be spraying Jan 1, no later.

edweather

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #122 on: January 07, 2021, 09:33:10 PM »
I sprayed 4 days ago, and tonight it's raining. Do I need to re-spray? Thanks.

Vlad

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #123 on: January 07, 2021, 09:59:45 PM »
I have decided to not foliar feed again. I used Millet's recipe for low biuret urea and Tween 20 and I got browning on the tips of new leaves. Older leaves are not affected.

Millet

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Re: Its Now Time To Foliar Feed For Best Crop Of Fruit
« Reply #124 on: January 07, 2021, 10:55:31 PM »
Vlad, that is why the tree is sprayed 2 months BEFORE expected bloom date (before the new flush of leaves)