One of the products that we have that is excellent for preventing and the control of a number of plant diseases is Perkfection.
We named it Perkfection for Roses as the commercial product is called Perk Supa.
Gardeners have found it a boon in prevention of diseases such as black spot and rust on roses during the season.
Perkfection along with Magic Botanic Liquid make a great combination for plant health.
Silverleaf disease in stone fruit and roses has been arrested if you notice the disease early and spray Perkfection once a month during the growing season and starting again in the spring when the plants start to leaf up.
Buxus disease is a curse for people growing Buxus hedges but a bi-monthly spray will keep the hedge looking great.
I remember a gardener that had a Buxus hedge that had got so bad there were hardly any leaves left.
He used Perkfection and after about 6 months the hedge was back to its full glory.
There is a product out there for Buxus disease which as far as I am aware its a mild solution of the chemical in Perkfection.
Apparently from feed back I have heard that it does help Buxus recovery but not as quickly and as effectively as our one does.
Downy mildew or dry berry will be cured with Perkfection.
During wet times when water sensitive plants start to have root rot then sprays of Perfection will speed up recovery as long as the plant has not gone beyond the point of no return.
So what is Perkfection then?
The active ingredient of Perkfection is ‘Phosphite ion’ or Phosphonic Acid. (Potassium ions are also present).
The safety when handling Perkfection can be described by the following; formulations of neutral salts, which do not contain wetting agents, would have very little, if any at all, absorption through the skin.
Only people with extreme allergy problems would show any sensitivity. Being neutral salts it has no corrosive effect and only cause irritation to people with very sensitive skin.
If spray drift entered the eyes then the irritation would be similar to that experienced with a salt solution.
Corrosive damage will not occur. This all means that Perkfection is safe to handle and spray, though all care of oneself should be taken, it is a product that you do not have to use extreme measures, as one should do, with many other garden sprays of a chemical nature.
The next important thing is There is no withholding period when used on food crops.
I would suggest however if you pick something that you have sprayed that day, wash it as you may have a ‘tainted’ taste.
Perkfection is used extensively by commercial growers (as PerK Supa) on produce and fruit as it’s safe, effective, in control and not restrictive on exports of produce.
We have suggested Perkfection for Roses and Other Plants as an alternative to more toxic sprays, for the assistance in recovery from/or prevention of, the following problems:
- Black spot, Downy Mildew, Phytophthora Root rot, Canker, heart rot, damping off, crown rot, leaf blight, silver leaf, late blight, collar rot, pink rot, brown rot, Armillaria, and gummy stem rot.
Now that’s quiet a list of diseases and it also means that many of your disease related problems can be overcome with this safe to use product.
Besides using Perkfection over your roses for the likes of Black spot and Downy mildew you can also use it as a spray over all your fruiting plants and trees including your strawberries.
It can be used also over your potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, beans, cucurbits (cucumbers etc) lawns, onions, passion fruit, Cauliflowers, cybidium orchids and ornamental plants and vines.
In fact there is nowhere you cannot use Perkfection to advantage.
Being ‘Synthetic Organic Phosphates’ what you are doing, is placing this valuable material, onto the foliage of your plants, where it is very readily absorbed and transferred through the whole of the plant.
This fortifies the plant’s cells, increases the plant’s immune system and makes your plants less susceptible to invading pathogens.
There is however a down side, as with any good thing, you can have too much and the recommendation is to use Perkfection at 5 ml per litre of spray once a month only and only for about 5 times in a season.
(Note a season is the normal period of time for that crop or plant. Roses are from Spring till Autumn. Most annuals 5-6 months.)
The reason is that, you can over load your plant with organic phosphates causing a clogging of the cells and halting growth until the system clears.
Prevention is better than cure and by spraying your plants in the spring you give the greatest protection to leaves and fruit, autumn spray will give greatest protection to roots and tubers.
I have suggested that on the 1st of the month to spray your roses and other plants with Perkfection, Mycorrcin Plus and Magic Botanic Liquid (MBL).
14 days later (15th) spray with Mycorrcin Plus and MBL.
If insect problems occur then spray with the most suitable Neem Product. (Neem Tree Oil, scale, Mealy Bug, thrips and mites, Caterpillars and beetles; Add Super Pyrethrum for aphids and whitefly.)
All these sprays are compatible.
They are all safe to use with most of them being organic and that’s what we need in this day and age.
Products mentioned are from Wallys Range of products and can be found in some garden shops or by Mail Order on www.0800466464.co.nz
Problems ring me at: Phone 0800 466464
Garden Pages and News at www.gardenews.co.nz
Shar Pei pages at www.sharpei.co.nz
Mail Order products at www.0800466464.co.nz
