Fruit tree spraying

[BrushyPines]

I have several fruit trees on my property (Persimmon, Crabapple, Pear, Plum, Mulberry). They are young trees ranging from 2-7 years old. Do I need to spray these trees for protection against insects every year?

 

[Turkey Creek]

Not as a preventive. I would spray for insects when the damage level is headed for a level that cant be tolerated by the tree or you. Not sure where you are located, but Japanese Beetles, bagworms and grasshoppers will be your biggest insect pests unless you are growing for a high level of fruit quality, and with the trees you have listed I would assume that they are likely intended for wildlife consumption.

 

[BrushyPines]

I am in north Mississippi. Yes, these are intended for wildlife. Last year I had an insect problem with my persimmons. They damaged pretty much every leaf on each tree. Not wanting that to happen this growing season.

 

[Charles Clear]

Turkeycreek is correct about grasshoppers. In the drought we experienced last year here in Western Pa, grasshoppers demolished a few of my trees. Every leaf and new growth eaten. All trees bounced back, but wow, never saw anything like it.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

TC has good advice. Our biggest problem each year at camp in NC Pa. is Japanese beetles. We also have some aphids, but a few sprays of Sevin knock them down. If you only have a few trees, dormant season oil is a good preventative for some insects that have eggs laid in your bark or on twigs. It suffocates them so they don't even hatch. Tent caterpillars are easy to kill by either pulling the webs down at first light and stepping on them, or hit them with spray at first light before they leave the webs to crawl all over the limbs.

 

[Telemark]

You can make a dormant oil spray with water, vegetable oil, and Morphy oil soap.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Not as a preventive. I would spray for insects when the damage level is headed for a level that cant be tolerated by the tree or you. Not sure where you are located, but Japanese Beetles, bagworms and grasshoppers will be your biggest insect pests unless you are growing for a high level of fruit quality, and with the trees you have listed I would assume that they are likely intended for wildlife consumption.

what are your thoughts on dormant oil spray?

thanks,

bill

 

[BrushyPines]

The local nursery recommended Bonide fruit tree and plant guard spray. They recommended spraying 3 times. Late winter, spring and late spring. What are yall's opinion on this recommendation?

 

[BuckSnort]

My big question on the dormant oil spray has been on the timing of things, do people spray late winter before pruning? After pruning? Will it harm the tree if you spray after pruning and they aren’t fully healed up?

 

[Turkey Creek]

I have no personal experience on dormant oil spraying, and havent read much on the subject as I havent see where it would be of benefit to what we grow.

 

[Telemark]

I have never seen or heard of that problem.

My big question on the dormant oil spray has been on the timing of things, do people spray late winter before pruning? After pruning? Will it harm the tree if you spray after pruning and they aren’t fully healed up?

 

[PatinPA]

I have a couple apple trees at my house that I want to keep the fruit nice on. I didn't spray this year and the apples are very buggy. Do you typically spray anything on them other than seven or the dormant oil or will that take care of most things? The leaves on the one are getting eaten. I can't find anything on them but I didn't even think about grasshoppers.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

From what I've read and learned, dormant oil spray is typically applied "in the dormant season" - usually late March or early April before things bud out and begin greening up. The action of the oil is to suffocate insect eggs laid in bark crevices, cracks or wounds on the trees. Insect pests that invade from other places must be treated with products like Sevin, Bonide Fruit Tree spray, or other insect pesticides. Some of the best products are regulated to only be used by licensed sprayers. Sevin works on many insects, but can act as a fruit thinner if applied at certain times during the fruit-growing cycle. Reading up on Sevin and it's effects is advisable before using it.

I was told by 2 long-time apple growers on this forum that aphids are GENERALLY problematic on younger trees that don't have a big canopy to withstand aphids sucking sap from leaves. They said bigger trees can handle aphids to a large degree in most instances. The way to tell if you may have aphids is to watch for ants travelling up & down your apple trees. Ants make "slaves" out of the aphids in a way. The aphids excrete a sugary "honeydew" which the ants harvest from the aphids and carry back to their nests. If you see ants - check for aphids. Aphid damage usually appears as shriveling, curling leaves that look like they're drying out. The youngest, most tender leaves are usually hit first.

 

[PatinPA]

I'll take a picture of it but something is eating the leaves whole. Multiple branches are stripped. I earlier found a bunch of worms/caterpillars on a leaf that I removed and killed. They all seemed to be on the same leaf. I can't find anything on the remaining leaves so I thought it was something coming and going.

 

[PatinPA]

Whatever it is, seems to move from branch to branch. It's a crappy tree anyway. I think I'm going to try to top work it this year. It's at least 10 years old and these are the first apples to ever make it past mid summer and they're pretty ugly. There are some nice root suckers, I think I'm going to try and separate too.

 

[homerj1]

^^^that looks like some kind of worm/caterpillar damage

 

[cavey]

I think its just good added insurance to provided a little added protection for those young trees... especially if your not around to be checking on them regularly ... it doesn't take long to defoliate a smaller tree, by the time you notice that damage is occurring it can be to late. I have a real "organic" approach lately for my trees - its called no time to do much with them and I really wish I had a bit more time to just get an occasional insecticide on them. The trees, especially the younger ones do seem to benefit from regular sprayings.

 

[BuckSnort]

I think its just good added insurance to provided a little added protection for those young trees... especially if your not around to be checking on them regularly ... it doesn't take long to defoliate a smaller tree, by the time you notice that damage is occurring it can be to late. I have a real "organic" approach lately for my trees - its called no time to do much with them and I really wish I had a bit more time to just get an occasional insecticide on them. The trees, especially the younger ones do seem to benefit from regular sprayings.

This past weekend I was down to our property for the first time since July. The Japanese Beetles did a fair amount of damage since then on a few of my newly planted trees. The older ones definitely handle it better. I used the last of the Sevin dust I had, I’ll be moving to liquid in the future. Unfortunately I have to be around more often to catch the damage before it gets bad.

 

[cavey]

This past weekend I was down to our property for the first time since July. The Japanese Beetles did a fair amount of damage since then on a few of my newly planted trees. The older ones definitely handle it better. I used the last of the Sevin dust I had, I’ll be moving to liquid in the future. Unfortunately I have to be around more often to catch the damage before it gets bad.

Same issues and I live close by to my land.... its just the evil we do to get them through till they have the size to handle the insect pressure. It will nice someday when we have better biological and organic controls ... today we are a monsanto/cargill world tomorrow who knows. Every year more bugs and more issues, wicked weather extremes - you think trees are tough try bees.

 

[PatinPA]

^^^that looks like some kind of worm/caterpillar damage

That's what I thought too but I can't find any on it.