Which fungicide

[Dodie]

I'm expecting some cacti seeds in the mail shortly and seeing as my last attempt hasnt gone too good i think i better use a fungicide to help my chances, ive been to bunnings and havent found anything of help, maybe im looking in the wrong section :S could anyone mention a brand they use? and where to get it from

thanks

[incognito]

fongarid-nice avatar!!!

[Benzito]

I use Copper Oxychloride, at half the weakest dosage mentioned on the pack.

Sold as Mancozeb, I think?

[Dodie]

haha thanks jono, yours inst too shabby either thanks benz i'll start looking for it on the weekend...

cheers

[AndyAmine.]

Hi guys,

Mancozeb is a diferent fungacide all together and much more powerful but much more toxic.

I use it for the blackrot, seems to be the best think Ive found so far along wiht a regular dose of silica in their nutrients.

[puffingfish]

Exactly which nutrients do you add if I may ask?

I have my cacti in a half/half mix of course river sand and searles potting mix. Is seaweed fert every month or so enough?

Is the soil pH important when it comes to growing cacti?

[AndyAmine.]

I use a mix of coco coir, washed river sand, seed raising mix and some slow release nutrients.

For additional feeds I use Dutch Master Advance (Veg) hydro nutrients mixed with Dutch Master Silica solution.

The Silica solution seems to have made the new growth a bit firmer than the old and as I undersant it, besides being a health tonic as time goes on silica crystals are formed in the tissue they stay there making the skin tougher and the plant more resistant to disease and pests.

[puffingfish]

Thanks for that. I'm determined to get some good growth this summer - these cacti are supposed to be hardy and easy to grow which makes me a bit concerned about my 'green thumb' or lack there-of!

[AndyAmine.]

I jst re-read over your post and you should definitely give them more food than jst some Seasol and I forgot to mention that I also add some Dolomite lime into the soil as well, apparently it makes a big diference.

Trich's are a lot more hunry and thirsty than most other cacti so they dont suit the usual cacti soil and feeding regime.

Jst one other thing, mostly for those above mid NSW and up its best to avoid as much potential for bacteria and fungal growth as you can. so try to keep things like big chunks of bark, peat's and moss's out of your soil and dont use thigs like Seasol or blood and bone etc.

I am a big lover of kelp extracts so rather than using Seasol I use a cold pressed kelp extract that doesnt smell nasty (oh god Seasol is nasty) and doesnt cause the above issues.

Rather than cold pressing, Seasol is made by boiling up the seaweed/kelp in a big vat and making a soup but a lot of the goodness is destroyed this way, makes it smell really bad and keeps a lot of the badness in in the juice.

[ 17. September 2005, 08:13: Message edited by: AndyAmine. ]

[puffingfish]

Thanks for that Andy.

I have my cacti callousing at the moment so will give me a bit of time to organise them a good feed for when I replant them (yes I know to wait to water them for at least 10 days:)

Fingers crossed these guys take off.

I'm slowly learning the tricks of the trade:)

Thanks again.

[Rev]

mancozeb when needed is all i ever need

just for black rot managemnet

with a free draining mix i dont need anything else

for trichs i like pelleted granuls, seaweed emulsions, urea, and a 1/2 compost 1/2 sand mix repotted annually

i have also mulched with soybean straw to good effect

i agree about the fungi in general andy but im not so sure of the anti-bacteria stance

im going to watering with dilute molasses over summer to boost bacteria in the soil. these should stimulate roots and also supress pathogens

for arid cacti i might use seaweed but no other organics. A soluble fert ecery watering over summer at 1/4 strength is great

watch those lophos boom

[ 21. September 2005, 11:45: Message edited by: Rev ]