How safe is copper-oil-fungicide?

[Dan_Musicant]

Copper Sulfate (anhydrous) 6.4% Petroleum Oil 30% Inert Ingredients 63.6%

There are warnings about poisoning the water supply and appropriate precautions. This dwarf tree, which was severely ravaged by peach leaf curl this last spring/summer is right next to my compost pile, which I use exclusively to fertilize my vegetable crops - tomatoes and squash.

The unused and unopened bottle is plastic, and for some reason it's become deformed. It looks as though the volume has shrunk as the walls of the bottle are pulled in on 3 sides (i.e. the cross section is rather triangular. I have no idea why.

Should I be concerned about contamination of my home grown produce by virtue of using this (or another) means of stopping the peach leaf curl?

Thanks for any explanations, caveats, assurances, warnings, etc.

Dan

[Frank]

You can look up toxicity of copper sulfate, but, I don't think it is something to worry about. Pure material may be toxic but by time it gets diluted in run-off, it should not be a problem. Plastic is not impermiable and some of contents have probably evaporated through the plastic and there may be some oxidation of the oil or intert contents as well as moisture intrusion. If not separated, this should not be a problem. For long term storage, glass or metal containers are far superior to plastic.

In my limited experience with peach trees, their lifetime is short and it may be better to replace the tree.

Frank

[Dan_Musicant]

:You can look up toxicity of copper sulfate, but, I don't think it is :something to worry about. Pure material may be toxic but by time it :gets diluted in run-off, it should not be a problem. :Plastic is not impermiable and some of contents have probably :evaporated through the plastic and there may be some oxidation of the :oil or intert contents as well as moisture intrusion. If not :separated, this should not be a problem. For long term storage, glass :or metal containers are far superior to plastic. : :In my limited experience with peach trees, their lifetime is short and :it may be better to replace the tree. : :Frank

Thanks. When I moved here 23.5 years ago, there were two of these dwarf peach trees. One simply died, don't know why. It may have been stressed by the large (not dwarf) plum tree whose trunk is about 6 feet from where that peach tree stood. The other surviving peach dwarf's trunk is rather further from the plum - about 12 feet, I'd guess. The fruit is diminutive and a bit tart, but it makes very nice canned peaches with a little added sugar.

I should really plant some new fruit trees here. The plums are not dwarf and have gotten so big that they are a real problem. I intend to cut them down and plant new fruit trees. First, though, I'll probably get the foundation replaced on the house, and some other major work. It promises to be a very busy year.

Dan

[Frank]

My peach trees did not last anywhere near that long and I routinely sprayed. Only problem with peaches was I'd have a ton of them and they don't last. You can only eat so many and make so many pies, jams and cans. I was making peach wine with the excess. But, peaches are like tomatos in that you need to pick them dead ripe to get best flavor and you cannot buy as good as you grow.

Frank

[Dan_Musicant]

: :> Thanks. When I moved here 23.5 years ago, there were two of these dwarf :> peach trees. One simply died, don't know why. It may have been stressed :> by the large (not dwarf) plum tree whose trunk is about 6 feet from :> where that peach tree stood. The other surviving peach dwarf's trunk is :> rather further from the plum - about 12 feet, I'd guess. The fruit is :> diminutive and a bit tart, but it makes very nice canned peaches with a :> little added sugar. :>

:> I should really plant some new fruit trees here. The plums are not dwarf :> and have gotten so big that they are a real problem. I intend to cut :> them down and plant new fruit trees. First, though, I'll probably get :> the foundation replaced on the house, and some other major work. It :> promises to be a very busy year. :>

:> Dan : :My peach trees did not last anywhere near that long and I routinely :sprayed. Only problem with peaches was I'd have a ton of them and they :don't last. You can only eat so many and make so many pies, jams and :cans. I was making peach wine with the excess. But, peaches are like :tomatos in that you need to pick them dead ripe to get best flavor and :you cannot buy as good as you grow. : :Frank

I've always loved peaches. Maybe partly because my birthday is beginning of August!

I have similar problems with my plums - so many, and they only last a few weeks. I think peaches are a lot more versatile. I don't think I've ever tried plum pie. I have made plum conserve (quarts and quarts!), incredible quantities of plum jam (I must have 30-40 bottles of it presently, and it seems to have an indefinite shelf life), plum wine once. The plum jam I have (made from a combination of the two trees, which is far better than either alone) is just superb. I think it's the finest jam I've ever had, commercial or homemade.

Peach pie sounds wonderful, and there's other things you can do with peaches, of course. I really like the canned peaches I make. It's so easy. I just pit them, add a little sugar, bring to a boil and put in boiled jars.

Thanks for the tip about tree ripened peaches! I think I'm going to plant at least one new dwarf peach tree pretty soon.

Dan