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 Multipurpose fruit spray has been re-formulated to include
malathion, captan, and carbaryl (methoxychlor was eliminated
from the mixture several years ago). This same mixture would be
used when the fruit buds are in the pink stage (when fruit buds
show color). After that, 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 schedule will also control borers on apples and
pears, if you also thoroughly spray the trunk and main limbs of
the trees. On non-bearing, young 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 is when fruit buds show color with
captan, 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 August 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.
Fire blight has also been prevalent the past few years. Spray
programs to combat this bacteria usually include spraying fixed
copper as a dormant spray - or when green material is visible,
but before a half inch out of the bud, and then a follow-up of
streptomycin beginning at bloom (and on a four day schedule for
no more than four sprays total). And, this is after you did a
great job of pruning out material infected by fire blight to
begin with.
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Garden Reminders
Any time now, when soil conditions permit, it is time to plant
things such as asparagus crowns, leaf lettuce, onions, peas,
potatoes, radishes, rhubarb plants, spinach, and turnips. It is
spinach sown last fall has been thriving this spring!
Give it another week or two and it is time to plant such things
as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. As with most things, a
little bit of planning goes a long way in preventing problems
later on.
Questions abound regarding fertilizing the garden. The
rule-of-thumb rate for fertilizing flower or vegetable gardens
is about 15 pounds of 10-10-10 per 1000 square foot of area.
This is without soil test information. If you are using 12-12-12
or 13-13-13 fertilizer, use about 12 pounds per 1000 square
foot. Soil pH may need to be adjusted due to the addition of
lime and sulfur, which are acidifying. Generally, about 4.25
pounds of lime neutralizes the acidity from one pound of
nitrogen or sulfur. Beware of pH requirements for different
plants before you go out to apply lime. Surrounding plants are
also affected. Examples would be blueberries, rhododendron,
azalea, pin oaks, and many evergreens.
[By JOHN FULTON, COUNTY EXTENSION
DIRECTOR SERVING LOGAN, MENARD, AND SANGAMON COUNTIES]
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