dormant oil on full size wild apples

[Knehrke]

As stated, I'm looking to begin a simple spraying regiment for the full size trees that I've been reclaiming on the land we purchased five years ago. So far as I can tell, the minimum plan should include dormant oil, then Captan/Imidan at the specified times. My question is application rate, and in particular how much dormant oil will be required. Guidance suggests complete coverage of the stems. They range in size from 12' to OMG get a ladder truck. Does anyone have experience spraying older, wild trees that are not well pruned (albeit having tried...)? How many gallons should I plan on per tree? I'm looking for a rough estimate, of course, as well as whether it's worth doing at all if I know that I can't achieve complete coverage. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Prof.Kent]

Dormant oil should be sprayed in such a manner as to cover all exposed bark and buds. Oil works by smothering eggs and egg masses. Usually eggs masses are layed in crotches or on the underside of small limbs. Captan/Imidan just before petals open and just after pet fall are the two most important times (in my area) to spray to limit the damage of plum circulio. If you can't reach it, don't bother spraying it. Just leave those for the deer. Trees that are 30 feet tall+ are in my opinion TFG (too far gone), unless there are some root sprouts you can graft to, then cut the old tree down. HOW MANY GALLONS needed is something you will have to find out for yourself. There are recipes online to make your own.

 

[chickenlittle]

I think mature full size trees are beyond what can reasonably be sprayed. But what exactly is your goal? To make the trees more healthy? To produce more apples for deer? For these, I'd say do some light pruning and open up around them for light and air flow and call it good.

Now if you have some tasty apples and you want some high quality apples for you to eat, I'd suggest a few options. One, you might be able to spray some of the lower branches on a big tree and see if that gets you there. Or try bagging some apples to keep them free of insects. Or buy some dwarf rootstock, graft the good varieties onto that and make a small fenced orchard with easy to maintain trees.

You could reshape a large tree into smaller ones that could be sprayed and maintained a little easier. Apples are vigorous growers and able to renew themselves after major surgery. Cummins Nursery took over an old orchard with huge unpruned trees. They initially cut them back severely and remade them into the ones shown in this video on facebook. Now that the trees are re-established, they prune with pole saws. They remove some growth each year and try to keep them open. Probably more work than most would be interested in but you could get a few trees to the size that spraying would be an option.
https://www.facebook.com/CumminsNur...w-umbrella-trees-meaning-th/1202409899840248/

 

[Knehrke]

Great replies! Thanks. I've been pruning vigorously, but there's only so much I'm willing to take off in any given year using the 30% rule. And we did plant a bunch of crabs as well as Franklin, Enterprise, and Gala on B118 rootstock that I'm actively maintaining but haven't started to spray yet in their third year. I will likely just take a chance on some of the older trees and see what happens I guess. I'm really trying to increase production for the deer, not so much for us although some of the trees produce unique and delicious fruit.

 

[Prof.Kent]

Great replies! Thanks. I've been pruning vigorously, but there's only so much I'm willing to take off in any given year using the 30% rule. And we did plant a bunch of crabs as well as Franklin, Enterprise, and Gala on B118 rootstock that I'm actively maintaining but haven't started to spray yet in their third year. I will likely just take a chance on some of the older trees and see what happens I guess. I'm really trying to increase production for the deer, not so much for us although some of the trees produce unique and delicious fruit.

For the deer, just spray for tent caterpillars. They're the hardest on the trees. Deer like wormy apples.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I agree with others, if it is mostly for the deer, I would do minimal work on them, the deer wont care! Open up the area around the trees to allow plenty of sun and wind to get to them. Then open up the middle of the trees to get the wind and sun in to the inner branches. Other then that, if you see, or have seen diseases, or bugs, spray the trees for them, if not, let the trees produce what it can and plant a new tree somewhere else and maintain the new tree.

 

[Jhoss]

I don't spray insecticide (Imidan) until petal fall...save the bees.

 

[Knehrke]

I'm with you on the bees. Colony collapse disorder is a disaster. It sounds like my $$ is best invested in a higher orchard ladder.