Apply general purpose fruit tree spray at one- to two-week intervals following key plant development observations. The first application is at green tip, followed by pre-bloom, full pink, petal fall, first cover (one week after petal fall), and second cover (two weeks after petal fall).
No matter what type of spray you're using on your fruit trees, take care to never use them just when the blooms are opening. This will avoid damaging the bees that are so important for pollination and fruit development.
Neem oil, jojoba oil and horticultural oil are three oil fungicides that can be safely used on apple trees to control powdery mildew, rusts, leaf spot disease and black spots. Neem and jojoba oil are derived from plants, while horticultural oil is made from highly refined petroleum.
Spraying Fruit Trees
- Dormant Oil: Apply when trees are dormant, November through March, after all the leaves have fallen.
- Lime-Sulfur: Spray to control fungal and bacterial diseases such as peach leaf curl, fire blight, scab and anthracnose.
- Fixed Copper: Spray on apples, pears, cherries, peaches, and plums to control canker.
Apply a baking soda solution to kill plant fungus. Pour 1 quart of water into a spray bottle with 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Add half a teaspoon of canola oil and a few drops of dish soap. Give the spray bottle a shake and spray the solution on the plants to rid them of fungus.
However it is important that you apply a fungicide containing captan or myclobutinil during bloom. This should consist of one to two sprays, 7-10 days apart, depending on length of bloom and weather. This application is considered one of the most important preventative sprays for pre-harvest suppression of brown rot.
The best fungicides available for scab control at this time of the early season are the broad-spectrum protectants: Captan and the EBDCs. It is likely too late for copper (see previous article, “An early-season copper application will help avoid feeling 'the blues' about diseases”).
Again, sanitation is essential to controlling this disease. Removal and disposal of all fallen leaves significantly reduces the chance that your pears will get leaf spot. Fungicide spray can also help control the disease.
A proper and consistent spray schedule is important to the survival of your fruit tree. From diseases to pests, many potential issues can be prevented with spraying before they even begin! To reap its benefits, spraying should be done consistently and thoroughly following the guidelines below.
What to do about pear rust. Because there are no fungicides recommended for trees producing fruit you intend to eat, your only option should you notice pear rust, is to prune out affected material. Dispose of it by burning or putting out with the rubbish rather than composting which doesn't kill the spores.
Promptly destroy of all infected prunings by burning or burying. Disinfest all pruning tools between cuts using a 10% bleach solution (1 part household bleach to 9 parts water) or 70% alcohol. To reduce the spread of fire blight, pruning is best done during the dormant season.
HOW TO TREAT PEAR TREE MIDGE
- DESTROY INFECTED FRUIT. This will help to decrease the number of maggots which can over-winter in the soil.
- PLACE POLYTHENE ON THE GROUND.
- SPRAY WITH AN INSECTICIDE AT THE CORRECT TIME.
- CULTIVATE THE SURROUNDING SOIL.
- RESISTANT VARIETIES.
- OTHER PREVENTATIVE MEASURES.
SMALL BLACK LEECHES / SLUGS ON LEAVESThis is the Pear Slug Sawfly (Caliroa cerasi). It affects pear, cherry and apple trees as well as some ornamental shrubs, hawthorns in particular. In spring the actual sawflies emerge and lay eggs on the leaves.
If sprays are applied too late, the pests enter and eat inside the fruit where they are protected from sprays. If applied too early, the spray will dissipate and be ineffective when the insects attack. So if you have an apple, pear, or cherry tree, be ready to spray your trees within the next few weeks.
Fabraea leaf spot, also known as leaf blight and black spot, is caused by the fungus Fabraea maculata. Fabraea leaf spot attacks leaves, fruit, and twigs of pear. Symptoms first appear as brown to black spots on the leaves. Heavily infected leaves often yellow and drop prematurely.
Position - In full sun as far as possible and out of the way of strong winds. Avoid frost-pockets and if you can't then pick your variety of pear tree carefully. Pear trees like moist soil but will not survive in water-logged ground so make sure you choose a position where water does not gather, especially in winter.
Vinegar mixture can treat most fungal infections on any plant, without causing any harm. Also, if you see any black spots on roses or aspen trees, then use this spray. It will help clear those up.
Fungus, like most tree diseases, will show itself in one of just a few ways. You may see abnormal growth, discoloration, or wilting in the leaves or needles. You may see discoloration or growth (scabs) in the bark. You may see fungus growing on your tree.
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a scientifically proven antifungal. Laboratory research shows that it can inhibit the growth of candida cultivating in a petri dish.
Copper-sulfate sprayed on lichens on trees will kill the fungus side of the organism. Only use copper-sulfate as a treatment for tree lichen in late spring through early fall. It will not be effective in cool weather. You can also remove tree lichen with lime sulfur.
If it's a slow rot, it may go unnoticed for years, but as jelly fungus populations grow, their sudden explosion in weight during a rainstorm can cause these already weakened branches to snap. A few jelly fungi aren't anything to worry about, simply prune away affected branches and discard the material.
Dishwashing soap, without degreaser or bleach, is a popular ingredient for homemade plant fungicide. Cooking oils are often mixed into homemade plant fungicide to make them cling to leaves and stems. Pyrethrin leaves that come from the painted daisy flower are widely used in commercial fungicide for plants.
The “green fungus” on a tree is usually a foliose or crustose lichen, often the genus Flavoparmelia. Again, harmless to the tree, although it's been argued only an ailing tree grows bark slow enough to accommodate lichens. The leafier lichen forms are often indicators of good air quality.
Baking soda on plants causes no apparent harm and may help prevent the bloom of fungal spores in some cases. While some trials and scientific research mitigate the effectiveness of baking soda against fungal diseases, it won't hurt the plant and does have short term benefits, so go for it!
When to winter prune apples and pears. Pruning should be carried out when the tree is dormant, between leaf fall and bud burst (usually between November and early March).
Growing pears is generally easier than growing apples, as they have less pest and disease issues. Two cultivars are generally needed for successful pollination and fruit set. Most pear trees are not self-pollinating. There are many different types of pears; some are best eaten raw and some are best for cooking.
Apples and pears must be cross pollinated. Therefore, you must plant two different varieties if you want to produce fruit. There are also varieties that produce sterile pollen and need to be planted with at least two other varieties.
For best growth and production, pears should receive at least one inch of water a week. During dry spells water is mandatory. If not properly watered during droughts fruit may drop prematurely. Keep at least 4 feet around the pear tree clear of grass and weeds to reduce the competition for water.
Pruning a pear tree begins in late winter before the buds begin to swell. Earlier pruning may encourage excessive vegetative growth and suckering in spring and summer. Limit spring and summer pruning to light thinning, and try to avoid trimming pear trees after midsummer.
It is always best to pollinate fruit trees of the same genus with each other (apples with apples, pears with pears) but pears can cross-pollinate with apples as long as both trees bloom at the same time. For example, a Norland apple tree cannot pollinate another Norland apple tree.
A Partridge in a Pear TreeThere are 92 known species of partridges, which are relatives of quail and live in grasslands the world over. Sadly, though, the birds are ground nesters, and not "likely to roost in pear trees," says Michael Ward, avian ecologist at the University of Illinois.
While growing pear trees from seed is possible, you'll get faster crop results by buying a young tree. When planting pears, a smaller well formed tree will give you better results that a tall spindly one.
