KLETT, J.E., P. EVANS, M. PRATT and M.S. SCHNELLE. Routine pruning may not be warranted. Am. Nurseryman 169(3):99-101.
Growers often routinely remove 30 percent of the shoots from bare-root trees before planting them. We examined root production for possible changes due to shoot pruning. We found no significant differences when we examined leaf to new root ratios and compared them against those for control trees. Pruning did not appear to improve first-year survival and overall growth.
DAY, S.J. 1989. Alkaline water can sabotage your spray tank. Colorado Green 4(4):4-5.
Alkaline, or high pH, tank mixes can significantly reduce the effectiveness of your pesticide applications. Why the concern with high pH? Many pesticides commonly used in the green industry are seriously affected by high pH. Certain products begin to break down, or hydrolyze, in water with a neutral pH of 7.0, and even faster in more alkaline water. This phenomenon, also referred to as pesticide hydrolysis or alkaline hydrolysis, is an irreversible process that breaks down pesticides into a form that has no pesticidal activity. A pH of 7.5 to 8.5 is common for many water sources in the U.S. Before high pH of your water has a chance to sabotage your spray tank, take a little time to check it out and make appropriate adjustments.
- © 1989, International Society of Arboriculture. All rights reserved.
