Hi Patrick.
 
Johnny's has a back back sprayer that holds 4 gallons of water for about $100.  We have one, but we use it for foliar spray of manganese, kelp/and or fish on a regular basis, so although I would be glad to lend it to you, the lending would be really short term and may not meet your schedule at all. 
 
Have you tried just washing them off with a strong spray of water?  That would be my first line of defense!  Also you are probably right, the lush growth is an indication of more than enough nitrogen, which in my mind is like creating a "diabetic" plant - too much "sugar"seems to attract the insects, as it weakens the plant.   So a little extra water won't hurt anything now, and may even reduce the ratio a little..........????????
 
Susan
 
----- Original Message -----
From: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">Vicki Morrone
To: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Sent: 7/21/2006 3:31:58 PM
Subject: expereince and availability of a fogger sprayer??

Dear Growers,

The manager of the student farm, Jeremy Moghtader asked me to help out if I could. Well we do have a listserv and perhaps some of you have experience with foggers, may like to rent one or could share your experience with Patrick at Earthworks garden in Detroit. Here is his note. Please send him your advice through the listserv and he will receive it. Or if you prefer you can email him directly at mail.cskdetroit.org and make it attn Patrick.

 

Hope someone can help him out.

Thanks

Vicki

 

 

 

this is Patrick at earthworks in detroit.

 

I have a little problem, and was hoping you or John might be

 

able to guide me in the proper direction.

 

 

 

I have a serious outbreak of aphids in my asparagus.  now, I usually

 

just let things work themselves out and don't worry to much as

 

I feel like spraying tends to just cause more problems, but its only

 

the third year, and my research leads me to think that since

 

the plants are so young it could cause there long term productivity

 

to suffer, and there are just a ton, a ton of aphids.

 

 

 

Since the foliage of the asparagus is so dense and lush (likely

 

part of the reason for such huge outbreak) using a sprayer wouldn't

 

really work.  I need one of them backpack foggers.

 

 

 

so the first question is do you know if there is some sort of list serve or something

 

that I could post a request to borrow one.  or is there a farmers co-op that rents them.  I

 

would really prefer that it not have been used by conventional growers though.

 

 

 

and second I was thinking it might be best to just buy one, since I'm certain I'll have

 

to make 3 or 4 apps to get everything in check.  plus I suspect it would be a handy thing

 

to have around since we have a good number of fruit plants that I'm just waiting to start having

 

problems of some sort.  I can't afford one of the really fancy ones, even if I could it seems sort of silly to have such a powerful one for such a small operation.  I was looking at something a little cheaper, and was wondering if you had an experience with them.  I just don't want to

 

get something that's a total piece of crap.  see example here http://bugsource.com/fogmaster_jr.html

 

 

 

 

 

thanks for all you time and help, and if you know nothing could you pass this on to someone who could.  hope your season is going well.

 

 

 

 

 

M. Patrick Crouch

 

Greenhouse Manager / Field Coordinator

 

Earthworks Garden Project, Detroit, MI

 

 

Vicki Morrone

Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach Specialist

Michigan State University

C.S. Mott Sustainable Food Systems

303 Natural Resources Bldg.

East Lansing, MI 48824

517-353-3542

517-282-3557 (cell)

517-353-3834 (fax)

 

If you would like to access a searchable archive of the all the previous Mich-Organic listserv postings copy this URL and paste in your browser address field http://list.msu.edu/archives/mich-organic.html
If you would like to access a searchable archive of the all the previous Mich-Organic listserv postings copy this URL and paste in your browser address field http://list.msu.edu/archives/mich-organic.html