[MassChestnutOrchards] ma-tacf chestnut question from Meiklejohn

[johnviolin7 at aol.com]

John,

Various copper formulations have been used as fungicide on plants for 
some time. Ditto sulpher. There is currently a "Liquid Copper"one in 
Johnny's seed catalogue advertised as being in an "organically approved 
formulation".

Was the white powder kaolin, a fine clay (actually the basis for 
Kaopectate) which we were using to improve the water retention and 
stickiness of mudpacks? -and the secret ingredient in magic mud-  Or 
was it B subtilis?   J Emery

-----Original Message-----
From: John Meiklejohn <j.johnmeiklejohn at comcast.net>
To: CBZampini at aol.com
Cc: masschestnutorchards at masschestnut.org
Sent: Sun, Jun 14, 2009 6:36 pm
Subject: [MassChestnutOrchards] ma-tacf chestnut question from 
Meiklejohn



Hi Charlotte,

 

I have several questions.  Yesterday, I visited a chestnut [~5"dhb] on 
the property of Dr. Wayne Fowles, a veterinarian in Westfield.  I had 
visited it for the first time last year when it was in good health.  He 
had me come back because he thought it was beginning to show signs of 
the blight.  The tree is still very healthy to a casual glance but, 
indeed, the trunk about 8' up was starting to crack dramatically and 
showed some concave signs but no discoloration on the bark.  As a 
treatment we did two things:  wiped the area thoroughly with a Clorox 
wet wipe, at his suggestion, and then I used your method of the mud 
pack mixed with the white powd
er you gave me wrapping the mud pack in 
saran wrap and then with duct tape, top and bottom. 

 

This process got me thinking about several blight treatment issues.  
Here are my questions:

    1.  What is the "mystery" white powder that I was applying in the 
mud pack?  Over the winter it had become moisture-laden.  Should I get 
a fresh supply from you to apply to the diseased trees in my orchard 
this season?  I still have more of the old supply.

 

    2.  Since bleach, i.e. Clorox, kills fungi is there any purpose to 
wiping or spraying the infected area of a  tree with a bleach solution 
independent of or before applying the mudpack?  My layman's thought is 
that a spray will penetrate the bark and cracks more readily than a 
mudpack and might enhance the effect of a mudpack if applied first.

 

    3.  Dr. Fowles indicated that copper sulphate is used to treat a 
fungal disease in horses [thrush].  He indicated it might be useful in 
treating fungal diseases across species including in trees.  He 
wondered, and so do I, if anyone has tried using copper sulphate to 
weaken or slow chestnut blight.  Any thoughts on this?  Would you 
advise trying this on diseased trees in my orchard?  I'm game to try 
anything that seems reasonable or that hasn't already been ruled out as 
useless.
  Dr. Fowles said he could obtain some copper sulphate solution 
for me.

 

Look forward to hearing from you.  Hope the innoculations are going 
apace and that you are getting plenty of help.

 

John Meiklejohn



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