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Home fruit tree spray schedules

By John Fulton

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[March 09, 2010]  This is one of the "pull it out of the file and run it again" columns. Of course, in most cases, good management last year is good management this year for horticultural topics.

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. Superior oils are lighter-grade oils, which won't cause as much burn damage during late spring or even in-season use. Superior oils will also provide control of the mites and scales.

The first regular spray of the year is applied when the green tissue is a half-inch out of the bud. The spray used by homeowners usually consists of a multipurpose fruit spray (and sulfur if needed for powdery mildew). Multipurpose fruit spray has been reformulated the last year or two 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 consistency pay 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.

This spray schedule will also control borers on apples and pears, if you also thoroughly spray the trunk and main limbs of the trees. On young, non-bearing fruit trees where borers have attacked, you can spray the trunks every two weeks during June and July with a multipurpose fruit spray.

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, with captan, is 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 walk a tightrope with the loss of some of the insecticides since carbaryl can cause fruit drop or thinning on the peach group and some apples.

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Things to do

The "to do" list can cause consternation, confrontation and confusion. Hopefully a few reminders every now and then will help you avoid those three "c" problems.

  • Finish up pruning deciduous trees and shrubs. Buds are beginning to swell on early species. If you want some further instruction or assistance, we will have a pruning clinic at the Extension office on March 16 from 9 to 10 a.m. Eric Jenkins, spring intern through a college program, will be presenting with me. No reservations are needed, and samples will be brought to the office for the demonstration.

  • Get prepared for the spring turf preparation season. The recommended dates run from March 15 to about April 1. This short time window will be the best time to do spring seeding, renovation such as plugging or dethatching, and other intensive operations. Next week I will cover more on these topics.

  • Check out the horticulture telenet series at
    http://web.extension.illinois.edu/
    logan/factsheets/hort_env569.html
    or pick up a brochure at the office. The next session will be "A Gardener's Guide to Plant Propagation" on March 23 at 1 p.m. Cost is $5 per person, and just call by the day before to register.

[By JOHN FULTON, University of Illinois Extension, Logan County]

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