drtreelove

Since we're on the subject: 

I was wrong, they do call it a "license". 

Electrical Saw Act B.E. 2545.pdf (thailawforum.com)

Electrical is a bad translation, it should be "Power Saw Act".

This was ameneded in about 2009 when the under 12" saws were allowed on the market. 

Its good to have a full range of tools for the job at hand; hand saws, loppers, pole saw, pole pruner, etc. 

15 hours ago, farmerjo said:

They say you get what you pay for.

What i've got is a 1700 baht 740 watt chainsaw that does 3-4 days work a year and expect it to fail after not many hours.

This morning i replaced the short cable of the chainsaw with a 20 metre one with thicker wiring so an extension cord is not need as as the square junction box would snag as the Fil moved around.

So it is now a 2200 baht saw but will get the cable back after he destroys it.

I know the chain will be blunt by now so looking for a couple of replacement ones.

Are chains universal?

Will an 11.5" bar chain fit all makes of chainsaws.

I saw this on lazada but think the price is to cheap.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/115-electric-chain-saw-parts-for-115-inch-woodworking-tool-wood-cutting-parts-i207875916-s12078371040.html?exlaz=d_1:mm_150050845_51350205_2010350205::12:13920044294!125392363912!!!pla-294682000766!c!294682000766!12078371040!129655195&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8aj87fDM-AIVSE5gCh3O-gchEAQYBCABEgIAn_D_BwE

 

 

 

 

You're right, thats way too cheap for a chain loop, maybe a price per drive link. 

Saw chain is not necessarily universal. Its best to get it fitted to your bar and sprocket. But with the 11.5" chain loops being sold online you may get lucky on the fit. 

There is the gauge/thickness of the drive links that have to fit properly into the track of the bar. (Usually 0.050") Then there is the pitch, the distance between rivets and drive links, which has to do with how the drive links fit the sprocket. (Thats the 3/8" that you see in the ads, but 0.325" pitch is also common and would be a lighter, faster chain. ) A mismatch with either of these will be unworkable. And then there are different cutter designs, semi-chisel, anti-kickback, etc, which have more to do with performance. The drivelinks are stamped with a model number on better sawchain brands like Stihl or Oregon.

See www.planopower.com, how to determine size of replacement saw chain.

On 6/21/2022 at 5:07 PM, Robin said:

There is a curved pruning saw available in most places for about 300 B and works well.  I am on my third saw, as it is easier to by new when it needs sharpening.  I leave the old ones about for wife's family to borrow and leave my decent saw alone.  Great, non-polluting, and good exercise, and less chance of injury than using chain saw 

This is a very good recommendation. 

Yes, chance of injury is not to be taken lightly. 

For the best performance and durability in a curved pruning handsaw, choose one with a Japanese tri-cut tooth design and best quality steel that you can find. 

Topman brand at HomePro is pretty good. 

On 6/21/2022 at 5:01 PM, farmerjo said:

The electric one is same wattage as mine as well as blade length.

Mine runs at 5000 rpm.

Looks like it has an oiler button which would be better.

The biggest complaint with electric and battery power is if they have the plastic internal gear which strips the teeth after time.

Some have all metal gears.

What i like about electric is the light weight of machine.

The biggest complaint, from a professional, would be the gutless 5000 rpm, when you're used to a screaming 14,000 rpm Husky with no batteries to charge and change

The new generation battery saws are awesome, especially Husqvarna, I haven't shopped for them in Thailand; I don't know whats available. 

Its not a licensed that's needed for larger chainsaws, it a requirement to register with local RFD forestry office. It's a measure to regulate illegal logging. Not so much about the saw as it is about what you are doing with it.  Under 12" do not require registration, but stay away from high profile, high volume tree removals that look like logging. 

My advice is not to buy from a big box store, most of them don't offer service.  In Chiang Mai the two places that I've bought chainsaws (and bladed brush cutters, pumps and sprayers, mowers, and other power equipment) are Sriyont in Wat Ket, on the road along the east side of the river,  and Montree the big yellow building at the corner of the SuperHwy and Chotana rd at Kwang Sing interesction. 

If you haven't used a chainsaw before, there is a learning process for safety and efficient operation, and for maintenance.  If you don't know how to keep it out of the dirt and rocks, your saw will become instantly useless.  If you don't know how to file the cutters and depth gauges (rakers) yourself then you are S.O.L. (if you're American you know what that means).  I'm available for a free chainsaw training session. 

I have a experienced local guy for you to hire if you are interested. He's super efficient and will get a lot done in a day; you can concentrate on the cleanup.  He's a foreman, climber, pruning expert for a large orchard operation in Mae Jo University area. I used to hire him on his days off, for work on our mature mango and lamyai orchards, and as a climber on a tree crew I had going a few years ago. (He still runs the 12" Makita gas chainsaw that I gave him about 12 years ago. 

On 6/18/2022 at 10:28 PM, Stubby said:

I hear what you're saying, but the counterargument also makes sense. Here's one of many extracts of similar research:
 

Several studies of historical food composition tables show an apparent decline in food nutrient content over the past 70 years. This decline has been attributed to soil degradation and the "mining" of soil fertility by industrial agriculture.
 

Source.
 

And I think even the honest producers of vitamins and minerals say not to replace a healthy balanced diet with supplements. Instead, use them with food to ensure the body gets all it needs.
 

Stubby

I think this is a significant and very valid point about 'nutrient density' in the food we eat. 

"Just eating an averaged balanced diet, getting sunlight on your skin, is all you need to do."  

This is a beautiful fantasy, but as a soil analyst having evaluated soil tests from agricultural soils in Chiang Mai as well as other regions of Thailand, I can verify that we have some of the most degraded ag soils that I've seen, including in most "organic" farms. 

Unfortunately, organic grower certification and food product labeling does not require a minimum soil organic matter content, healthy soil biology populations, adequate and balanced soil mineral integrity, or plant sap analysis for assessing nutrient density, but only avoidance of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Which of course is not nearly enough to ensure food quality. 

22 hours ago, R0birt said:

Thank you so much for your post. I bought 12kg of coconut compost and another 12kg of dirt. Do you still advise on the worm compost, I have been told the coconut is similar to the worm, is that true?

For 4-4-4 fertilizer do you suggest something like this or can I get it cheeaper: https://www.lazada.co.th/products/gaia-green-4-4-4-all-purpose-organic-fertilizer-500g1kg2kg-usa-mrherbman-i3702953901-s14014013642.html?search=1&spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.i18.14f43597AssOYs 

I see 16-16-16 online and it's quite cheap, but I do not know the difference between them.

Thank you very much for your help
 

Yes on the vermicompost, it has some very good properties.  You can search and read all about it. It's not the same as "coconut compost" but you can use both when making your own container soil blend. The only problem with anything labeled as "compost", is that it may not really be composted (decomposed/digested by soil micro-organisms, and may be composed of raw organic matter. This would be okay for mulch (soil surface covering), but not for a potting soil/container planting mix.  

As for a fertilizer product, the Gaia Green 4-4-4 from Canada looks good as a COF. It has some excellent ingredients:

• Feather meal, alfalfa meal, bone meal, blood meal, natural phosphate rock Mineral Phosphate Potassium sulfate, insect slag, basalt dust, humic acid, gypsum, seaweed, oyster shell, green sand.
• GAIA GREEN All Purpose is approved for use in organic agriculture by Ecocert Canada (according to the General Principles of the Canadian Organic Production System).

Avoid the 16-16-16 or any high-salt-index chemical fertilizer.  Yes it's cheap, and you get what you pay for.  It's imbalanced and only provides certain mineral nutrients, at the expense of complete plant nutrition and high nutrient density food production, and reduces resistance to pests and diseases.  High NPK chemical fertilizers are too harsh and are detrimental to the beneficial soil microbiome, dessicates roots, and creates conditions for a plant to become a pest magnet.  

In my opinion, there is not much difference in best managment practices and fertilizer requirements for herbs, and other herbacious plants, vegetables and flowers.  So I don't think you need to be looking for specific herb fertilizer.  

There are many factors to consider in creating best growing condtions and management for healty plants , sunlight exposure, containers, raised beds or in-the-ground, and especially water management, as well as fertilizer and other issues. There are die-hard advocates for the predominant old-school chemcial fertilizers, but I prefer organic and soil-food-web based methods and materials.  

There have been many discussions on this forum and the Farming in Thailand forum on fertilzers. Here's a recent one: 

You can thin the fruit where they are tightly clustered and that may help.  But there is more to it than that.  Plant health and fruit development has everything do with soil fertility and water management.  Plants in pots are challenged due to limited soil volume and restricted root expansion, deficiencies in potting soil, and sometimes either poor drainage and root rot, or the opposite, rapid drainage, poor moisture retention and leaching of nutrients. If containerized plants are not re-potted every couple of years, into a slightly larger container with new soil mix, they can become root-bound and unable to take up water and nutrients adequately.  At the minimum, fertilize with slow release COF (complete organic fertilizer) and maybe buy a soil moisture meter to take the guess-work out of watering, not too much or too little. 

On 5/10/2022 at 11:06 AM, VocalNeal said:

My wife sprays with washing up liquid mixed in water.

This is a good suggestion.  Insecticidal soap can be a useful, organic-program-compatible pesticide, but is not appropriate for all pest and disease conditions.  And it will not correct the underlying factors that weaken the plant and make it susceptible to the pest or disease. Don't use just any soap or detergent to make the insecticical soap solution, as some ingredients are phyto-toxic.  

The vinegar version may be useful for the powdery mildew if that's what it is. Vinegar should be used according to directions only, because concentrated solutions are toxic to plant foliage. 

Homemade Insecticidal Soap Recipe

The simplest insecticidal soap is nothing more than a 2% soap solution. To make this at home, you will need:

• Sprayer: Any clean spray bottle or garden sprayer will work fine for spraying insecticidal soap. Make sure the sprayer or bottle hasn’t been used for herbicides.
• Pure Soap: Use a pure liquid soap, such as Castile, or all-natural soap. The active ingredient in insecticidal soap comes from the fatty acids in animal fat or vegetable oil, so it’s important to use the real thing. Don’t use detergents (which aren’t actually soaps), dish soaps, or any products with degreasers, skin moisturizers, or synthetic chemicals. Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap is usually pretty easy to find in stores, or check your local natural-foods store for other options.
• Pure Water: Tap water is fine for making insecticidal soap. If you have hard water, you may want to use bottled water to prevent soap scum from building up on your plants.

To make homemade 2% insecticidal soap, mix together:

• 5 tablespoons soap to 1 gallon of water     OR
• 1 heavy tablespoon soap to 1 quart of water

Homemade Insecticidal Soap Recipe Variations

Like any other home remedy, there are as many variations on this recipe as there are gardeners! You can also try:

• Diluted Solution: If the spray causes damage or burns your plant foliage, cut the amount of soap in half and try a 1% solution. This is the concentration usually found in commercial sprays. The lighter solution might be less effective but is gentler on plants.
• Cooking Oil: To help the solution stick a little longer, add two tablespoons of light cooking oil (such as corn, canola, olive, or safflower) per gallon of water to the mix.
• Vinegar: To make a spray that also targets powdery mildew, add a teaspoon of cider vinegar per gallon of water to the mix.
• Garlic or Pepper: To help repel chewing insects, add a teaspoon of ground red pepper and/or garlic per gallon of water to the mix.
• Bar Soap: For a less-exact recipe, drop a bar of pure soap (such as organic bar soap or Ivory) into a gallon of water and leave it overnight. Remove the bar and shake well before spraying.

On 5/10/2022 at 10:49 AM, The Hammer2021 said:

Thank you for your detailed answers and sorry for the lack of detail and supportive evidence.

It's a single decorative  plant grown outside in shade in a pot. I think that may  be a problem - the shade.

I guess what I want  is a general 'broad spectrum ' all round fungicude/ pesticide systemic or otherwise- I won't be eating or smoking the plant.

I wonder if the source of stock is an issue- from the same nursery I got  plants which  wilted as though over or under watered but this  was not  the  case - I think an infestation of ants had attacked  the roots.

Is that likely  or  possible?

So you might agree I need an all round combination fungicide insecticide combined OR

Should I just throw the plant out and buy a new one?

Yes the shade is a likely factor.  Some plants are more tolerant of shady conditions than others.  So if your plant is sun-loving, and its health and resistance to disease depends on full sunlight and photosynthesis, you may be better off replacing it with a shade tolerant species, or installing artificial lighting. 

A broad spectrum fungicide may provide temporary control of a fungal infection, but will not correct the contributing factors that make the plant susceptible to the disease, so the disease will return, or another disease or pest will attack a weakened plant.  

There are organisms that can cause root damage, but ants are not likely. Ants may be present, due to favorable habitat for their nesting and nearby food sources, but they will not normally be feeding on the plant tissues. Termites could be an exception, but they feed primarily on wood that is dead already. 

Root-rot from soil-borne pathogens (fungi and water-molds) can originate from the original growers practices and potting soil, or from your own management, over-watering or high Nitrogen fertilization. 

You could re-pot the plant, with a slightly larger pot and better potting soil. And buy a soil moisture meter to take the guess work out of when and how much to water. But of course this won't correct the shady environment factor. 

18 hours ago, BritManToo said:

 Common on cannabis plants in high humidity.

Yes, but not necessarily so with best management practices.  Susceptibility is there partially due to genetics; strains are developed for certain desirable traits and disease resistance is not always a priority. 

Resistance to pests and diseases can be enhanced with good soil fertility and water management. 

Why Are My Eggplants Turning Yellow? – Bountiful Gardener

From the description, it sounds like "powdery mildew".  But photos, plant ID, description of growing conditions and management would help with remote diagnosis and treatment recommendations. 

An advanced disease condition is difficult to cure, but suppression and preventive management may help to minimize the damage and prevent future infections.   Its best to focus on improvement of growing condtions, soil and water management that builds natural resistance to disease.

I would avoid high NPK chemical fertilizer products like Phostrogen liquid plant food and go with a slow release complete organic fertilzer like Organic Totto, and/or worm castings (vermicompost). 

Instead of chemical fungicide, I would use Potassium bicarbonate, or a biological fungicide like Trichoderma harzianum or Bacillus subtilis. 

POTASSIUM BICARBONATE(FOOD GRADE) for pH buffer and use as Organic fungicide | Lazada PH

Powdery Mildew: Symptoms, Treatment and Control | Planet Natural

Also consider fish fertilizer if you can find a good quality product. 

I recommend the bokashi fertilizer from Organic Totto.  25kg sack for 350 plus delivery. 

I use this in combination with vermicompost from Biosurge Thailand, now merged with Best Garden State (on FB) 

 Organic Fertilizer Worm Winner Vermicompost from Thailand (biosurgethailand.com)

BGS has two or three COF blends (complete organic fertilizer). I would trust the quality, but they don't list the ingredients and I haven't used their COF products myself. 

Also consider inoculation with beneficial soil micro-organisms from SV Biotech/ Grotech, they have a product called Mycortech Biostimulant.  I haven't used it but its along the lines of other soil biology inoculants that I have used for soil improvment. 

This new generation soil fertility enhancement plus mulching and good water management is the best way to go in my opinion, for optimum plant health, nutrient density, flowers, color, fragrance, taste and productivity .

Avoid outdated products and practices, high NPK, high salts chemical fertilizers that are still being promoted by ag shops, advisors and growers who are not up to date with modern best management practices. 

Bokashi fertilizer.docx

5 hours ago, drtreelove said:

Close, but no cigar. ????   I'm no taxonomist, but I've got the book and the fascination, and that one looks to me like Dipterocarpus alatus. (another species in the Dipterocarp family).  I'll forward the pic to my friend for confirmation, who is an expert in native trees of northern Thailand. Photos of entire tree and close up of leaves would help. 

 

D. alatus is the species of large trees planted along the 106, CM - Lamphun Rd.  

 

Forest Trees of Northern Thailand  (Gardener)  pg 64  (Key to seed ID for the family Dipterocarpaceae, includes Dipterocarpus, Hopea, Shorea, all with winged seeds).  

Well, I'm wrong. My friend IDs it as a seed from Dipterocarpus tuberculatus  'Phluang'.

"Listed by the RFD as the most abundant forest tree in Chiang Mai Province". 

20 hours ago, kokesaat said:

Hopea odorata (Takhian)

Our neighbor has several in his yard that border ours.  Huge trees.  I like to watch the helicopter seeds flutter down

Close, but no cigar. ????   I'm no taxonomist, but I've got the book and the fascination, and that one looks to me like Dipterocarpus alatus. (another species in the Dipterocarp family).  I'll forward the pic to my friend for confirmation, who is an expert in native trees of northern Thailand. Photos of entire tree and close up of leaves would help. 

D. alatus is the species of large trees planted along the 106, CM - Lamphun Rd.  

Forest Trees of Northern Thailand  (Gardener)  pg 64  (Key to seed ID for the family Dipterocarpaceae, includes Dipterocarpus, Hopea, Shorea, all with winged seeds).  

What makes you think this is a pest?  I can't really get a close up with the low resolution photos, but it appears to be a superficial fungal or epiphyte growth (lichen).  If there are no signs of damage, decline, die-back, then relax and realize that trees are a host environment to multiple organisms and usually a complex ecosystem on their own.  Stop applying all kinds of substances that may suppress the very biome that keeps pests and pathogens under control. 

If you really think that this is more than an obsession with a cosmetic issue and that a damaging pest lor disease is present, post or preferrably email me high res photos and photos of the entire tree and site with description of the damage that your perceive being done. don

Also:  Aden Health Foods at JingJai market, near KamTieng plant market and Lotus SuperHwy.

No produce or meats, and not a vitamin shop, but they have some good supplemental health food items. Nice folks. Check it out. 

Aden Health food store "ร้านสุขภาพเอเดนเชียงใหม่" - Home | Facebook

Farm Foods Market at Raum Chok,   1001 (CM-Phrao) and 3029 (middle ring road)

FarmFoodsMarket - Home | Facebook

Produce, eggs, frozen meat from Rim Ping Organic Farm and others. 

On 3/17/2022 at 12:21 PM, 33 RPM said:

Thanks, ive had excellent results with Seasol, i brought a few bottles with me, but nearly all used up.

ill have a look at the Super Thrive you mentioned

Essential Plus 1-0-1 is what I have used extensively in California as a primary ingredient with all my organic program fertilizer tank mixes, not only for new plantings and rooting. 

Its not currently available in Thailand as far as I know, but may be in Australia and Singapore.  

Essential®-Plus-1.pdf Turf_Essential_Plus.pdf

Seasol is a seaweed/kelp based solution, which is rich in beneficial enzymes and micro-nutrients, and far better for the purpose you have indicated than a rooting hormone or a high NPK chemical fertilizer (which does more harm than good in my opinion). 

I recommend a combination of Kelp and a Humic acid.  Best Garden State on FB has a high quality Kelp solution and a Potassium Humate product. 

In my early career as a tree transplant crew foreman, we used a product called SuperThrive with every backfill-watering-in.  I've used it ever since and have a near 100% survive and thrive success with plantings. I notice that SuperThrive is available through Lazada. Check it out and maybe add a dash to your kelp and humates mix.