|
When it comes to spray programs for apple and pear trees, the
two rules are to be consistent and be persistent. Quality fruit
these days takes these two things, and time. It seems like
quality fruit must be sprayed at the recommended intervals.
Starting with dormant oils, these need to be applied before buds
swell. Dormant oils are usually needed only every two or three
years to provide control of scales and mites. Sure, the
populations will build up in the off years, but should remain
relatively low if the three-year program is followed. Dormant
oils do require temperatures above freezing for 24 hours, but
you want to be ahead of the bud swell.
The first regular spray of the year is applied when the green
tissue is one-half inch out of the bud. This spray for
homeowners' use usually consists of a multipurpose fruit spray
(and sulfur if needed for powdery mildew). Multipurpose fruit
spray has been reformulated the last few years to include
malathion, captan and carbaryl (methoxychlor was eliminated from
the old mixture). This same mixture would be used when the fruit
buds are in the pink stage (when fruit buds show color). After
that, the persistence and consistence pays off as you spray with
the same mixture about every 10 days until we get to within two
weeks of harvest. In our area, we need to continue spraying this
late because of apple maggot and sooty mold.
This spray program will also control borers on apples and
pears, if you also thoroughly spray the trunk and main limbs of
the trees. On nonbearing, young fruit trees where borers have
attacked, you can spray the trunks every two weeks during June
and July with a multipurpose fruit spray.
[to top of second column]
 |
 The spray schedule for peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums
varies a little bit. The dormant spray for them uses captan
fungicide. This is the only spray that controls leaf curl and plum
pockets. The next spray is with captan when fruit buds show color,
followed by captan at bloom. When the husks begin to pull away from
the base of the fruit, we would then spray with sulfur, captan and
malathion. This mix would then be used every 10 days or so to within
a week of harvest.
For borers on the peach group, you can spray or paint the trunk
only with carbaryl (Sevin) on June 15, July 15 and Aug. 15. We have
some challenges with the loss of some of the insecticides, since
carbaryl can cause fruit drop or thinning on the peach group and
some apples.
Website information
The Logan County Extension Office continues to develop its
website at
www.extension.uiuc.edu/logan. The site contains program
information, subject matter, links to other university sites and
fact sheets. I have even started blogs for horticulture and
agriculture. Reposts of these columns, as well as frequent
horticulture information updates, may be found on the
"In The Backyard" blog. The world continues to change. If you
would have told me a couple of years ago I would be a blogger, I'd
probably have hit you. Now, it's very commonplace. I'll try to
update the blog as samples and calls come into the office.
[Text from file received from
John
Fulton, unit leader,
University of Illinois Extension,
Logan County Unit]
 |
