"Bob Bauer" wrote in message
...
R & L Porter wrote:

I was under the impression that dormant spray was used while
the plant was dormant in order to smother pests (thinking
of apple trees). Am I way off, or am I thinking of something
similarly named?

I can see that most people are thinking the same as you, that 'dormant
oil' as being the spraying of a dilute oil mixture fungicide during
the dormant rose period. In this case you are absolutely correct.

A rare, but sweet moment.

Spraying your roses in order to force them to go dormant and spraying
them in the winter in order to prevent fungal disease and insects are
two different things.

Aha.

snip
Don't forget that most of these fungal spores are overwintering in the
fallen leaves and soil in the ground around the plant. So if you
spray, you must also spray the ground around the plant.

I had thought of that. So I guess this will have to wait until late
March, early April, once most of the snow is gone. (wishful
thinking -- the late March part)

snip.

Realize also though that some people in some climates actually need to
produce an artificial dormancy period in order for their roses to
bloom well the next year. This is also called dormant spraying and
was what I mistakenly though was meant.

Sorry about the mixup.....

Not a problem. I sometimes forget that there are places on the planet
that do not get winter. Or at least what I would call 'winter'. Those
poor deprived souls.

Laura -- mid-winter madness is in full swing. All I can think of are
flowers,
dirt, green grass, dirt, and flowers.