Winter Wash or not?

[Lardman]

Is there any point in Winter Wash? (Thinking of the apples mainly) Back when we were allowed to spray harmful things I could see the point, but looking down the ingredients of this shockingly expensive "Winter Wash" it's little more than fish oil.

I wasn't going to bother this year but I had a really bad problem with winter moth last year when I didn't do anything. Previously Id spray "stuff" I had left in the shed and been trouble free.

[ESBkevin]

I got a bottle for a fiver and it should last about 4 years on my small 8 tree espalier scheme. I had canker and peach leaf curl last year so I'm giving it a go. It's mosty natural veg oils iirc. If it's rubbish I shan't do it again.

[GBax]

I will be spraying with it in the next week or so in the probably forlorn hope that it is 10% as good as the original that gives it the name.

Its frustrating again that yet another 'tool' has been removed from the amateur gardener when we all know that the perfect fruit we see in the supermarket has been smothered in this and that and the other by 'professionals'.

[starloc]

I use neem oil for winter wash and all year spray, it works better than the original and still available and low cost

[Lardman]

I use neem oil for winter wash and all year spray, it works better than the original and still available and low cost

I've tried neem oil in the past on other plants for aphid control, the stuff I bought wasn't anything like cheap and frankly was less effect then spraying with water alone

[starloc]

I've tried neem oil in the past on other plants for aphid control, the stuff I bought wasn't anything like cheap and frankly was less effect then spraying with water alone

Something was wrong then! as the oil content alone ( as with any oil) would suffocate anything like aphids as would any oil, but real neem oil contains Azadirachtin a very powerfull inscticide now registered in Europe , its not instant but it stops things eating or mating they kind of just sit there , itt also makes male ones sterile as well so they cant breed, its also a strong fungicide

1 teaspoon per litre of warm water with a tiny bit of detergent to emulsify, dont buy high price refined neem as its got low pesticide in, i get it for 9.00 for 500ml on ebay and it lasts for years, for winter wash i use 2 teaspoon per litre
i get mine from a seller mother natures goodies / mng products on ebay

For a more pwerfull instant kill you can also use the same strength mix but use limonene instead of neem , it only kills on contact but also kills whitefly

[4390evans]

Ive got 7 fruit trees and I never wash mine, dont see the point.

But.. I think it depends on where you are (allotment etc) and if you have had problems in the past that has needed the wash.

[Losos]

I will be spraying with it in the next week or so in the probably forlorn hope that it is 10% as good as the original that gives it the name.

Its frustrating again that yet another 'tool' has been removed from the amateur gardener when we all know that the perfect fruit we see in the supermarket has been smothered in this and that and the other by 'professionals'.

Oh yes, I agree, I'm still annoyed at the removal of tar oil wash which did work well (for me at least) I just wish these eco types would stop interfering in my life

[Lardman]

Well I sprayed with Vitax Winter Wash and applied a few grease bands.. What a waste of time

I'm already having problems with pest this year, meaning I'm going to have to spray at least twice with whatever rubbish I can buy rather than once with something effective.

[fishpond]

What pests/problems do your trees have?

[Lardman]

So far ... I've spotted green fly, white fly, scale insect , winter moth and some grey/black mites which I can see moving but with eye sight not as good as it once was they're too small for me to identify

Which is about what Id expect if I hadn't sprayed.