Surround WP Crop Protectant Kaolin Clay Organic Insect Repellent Review

Surround WP Crop Protectant Kaolin Clay Organic Insect Repellent Review

Buy it at Amazon: Surround WP Crop Protectant Kaolin Clay Organic Insect Repellent [Affiliate Link]
Buy 25 lbs from Arbico: https://bit.ly/3Qy7oDK [Arbico Affiliate Product Link]

Takeaway: Easy to mix and apply, though a bit messy; effective crop protectant from pests and disease.

Surround WP is a naturally occurring kaolin clay product that, when applied to fruit trees, forms a physical barrier to prevent disease and insect damage. I bought a 25 lb bag online, though you can order smaller quantities to suit your needs and in general, the brand isn’t so important as long as you get fine powder. The instructions for use are found in the clear pouch on the front. The instructions state to use ¼ to ½ lb of the clay powder for every 1 gallon of water, or about 2-3 cups clay powder per gallon. I can usually get one full application using a 2 gallon manual pressure sprayer for my 7 year old peach tree.

It's important that you always dissolve the water powder into water and not pour water over the clay powder directly, since if you put the clay in first and pour water over it, you’ll end up with large clumps of clay. The recommendation is to dissolve the clay into half the amount of water you plan to use, then top up the container and mix well before applying. I always use protective gear like goggles and a face mask because I don’t want to inhale the water droplets or get it in my eyes, however, the clay itself is non-toxic and not a chemical pesticide, fungicide, or herbicide; therefore, it’s safe for organic gardens, and it’s also used a lot in cosmetics though those grades tend to be more expensive. Before and during spraying, shake the sprayer tank to keep the clay in the solution suspended. You’ll want to cover every surface of the tree including the tops and underside of leaves, the trunks, and branches, not just the fruit.

The first application will look quite spotty, but don’t worry. Just allow that coat to dry for about 30 minutes. Then you can apply a second coat, and you’ll start to see the coverage slowly start to become more broad. For best results apply at least 3 coats initially and reapply weekly and after heavy rains. You’ll want to apply the first spray just after petal fall after the flowers have all been pollinated and the fruit is just starting to form. You’ll continue to apply the spray throughout the fruiting season as the fruit develops and becomes larger. For me that was about 6 or 7 applications until harvest.

I found that when applied regularly, my peaches experienced very little insect damage, and the first year I used the kaolin clay I saw a 5 fold increase to the amount of peaches I was able to harvet. I experienced much less loss due to fungus and mold problems that arose from insect damage, though the clay did not always keep the birds at bay. The clay is non-toxic, so it’s safe and inert to consume, though may be unpleasantly chalky tasting, so I found the best way to enjoy the peaches is to rinse them off with warm water to hot water which is pretty effective at removing the clay. You’ll notice that where the clay sat on the skin the coloring is mottled, versus deep red because the sun couldn’t reach the fruit’s skin, however, this does not impact the fruit’s ripeness or flavor.

Overall, the kaolin clay did wonders for protecting my peaches, and I was able to harvest about 25 lbs of peaches from my small tree the first season I tried this solution, so I plan on using it each year going forward because it works well for me.

Buy it at Amazon: Surround WP Crop Protectant Kaolin Clay Organic Insect Repellent [Affiliate Link]
Buy 25 lbs from Arbico: https://bit.ly/3Qy7oDK [Arbico Affiliate Product Link]