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Old 20-12-2005, 01:48 PM posted to rec.arts.bonsai
Nina
 
Posts: n/a
Default Buttonwood and subdue

Nobody in rec arts can see this thread, apparently, but Iris has a
buttonwood with root rot which she has repotted and placed in a warmer,
brighter environment. SHe is now asking whether to drench with Subdue
fungicide, and I am about to answer in my inimitably crabby fashion.

Iris: All pesticide labels are easily found on the internet; you google
"subdue label" and there you are. I may be reading the label
incorrectly, but it seems to me it says you can apply Subdue Maxx
outdoors or in a greenhouse, not inside a person's house. But you are
welcome to read it yourself and take on any liability issues.
Secondly, Subdue works on Oomycetes, and you haven't said how you know
that your root rot is caused by an Oomycete. If you have verticillium,
fusarium, or rhizoctonia, you will be exposing yourself to a powerful
systemic fungicide for no reason whatsoever. Thirdly, and I speak from
the experience of screening hundreds of Oomycetes for their relative
susceptibility to Subdue, some isolates are resistant. Using Subdue
alone without a second method of control will only cause more resistent
isolates to evolve. Fourthly, Subdue is, strictly speaking, a
fungistat; it causes the target organism to stop growing for 4-5 weeks,
then unless you plan to spray that plant for the rest of its life, the
organism will recur.

So my answer is NO. Removing dead tissue and repotting into a more
favorable environment is really quite sufficient, and your tough little
buttonwood should respond favorably.

Nina.

PS. The proper use of Subdue is as follows: The wholesaler drenches
the poinsettias in November. The retailer sells them to you in
December. You overwater shamelessly for a couple of weeks, and the
plant expires. Everyone is happy.