Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
as nematodes and mealybugs—will also help to prevent transmission of viruses. Virus-in-
fected plants cannot be cured.
The National Organic Program list titled Allowed and Prohibited Substances is a good
overall guide to disease controls, although states and provinces may have their own spe-
cifications. Here is a list of substances generally used to treat diseases in organic vineyards.
You will often find one or more of these in commercial preparations labeled for organic
use:
Aqueous potassium silicate
Bordeaux mixture
Coppers, fixed: copper hydroxide, copper oxide, copper oxychloride
Copper sulfate
Elemental sulfur
Hydrated lime
Hydrogen peroxide
Lime sulfur
Horticultural oils
Potassium bicarbonate
Using a Backpack Sprayer
A backpack sprayer is the easiest way to apply your fungal spray if you have more than
a small row of vines. It's easy on the back and the long wand allows you to reach all of
the plant. I recommend a 4 or 5 gallon sprayer. For a very small vineyard, a 1 or 2 gallon
hand-held spray pump will do.
Spraying is not that difficult, but it's important to be thorough. You can purchase dif-
ferent nozzles to change spray pattern, and change the angle to reach difficult spots. I like
to use a nozzle that allows the spray to thoroughly cover the leaves and grape bunches.
It's important to get most disease control agents into the cracks and crevices of the grape
clusters and around the fruiting zone, and to get good coverage on the foliage.
