As spring unfolds, so will your fruit trees—and any unwanted pests! Now’s the time to start planning how to care for your trees throughout their growth. Here are some important stages for when to spray fruit trees:
Dormant in the Spring
Even though fruit trees have shed all their leaves and bore all their fruit before a dormant winter, pests will wait out the cold season to strike again. Once it gets warmer in early spring, apply a coating of horticultural/dormant or neem oils.
Right Before Bud Break
To prevent scab disease, you’ll want to use fungicide sprays just before the swelling bud breaks open and shows its greenery or leaves. Spray twice while the weather is consistently around 60 degrees F.
During Bloom
This is tricky. You’ll want to avoid spraying when flowers are in full bloom as it can damage the flower and, therefore, the immature fruit, but this is also an optimal time for pests and diseases to infect the tree. And if you overcompensate spraying right now, you could harm the bees trying to pollinate. The previous sprays should hold during this time, but it’s fine to spray once or twice at most if truly needed.
Horticultural Spray Oil
and Neem Oil
After Petal Fall Through Fruit Formation and Harvest Time
Once the petals have fallen and the fruit develops, you’re free to spray throughout the summer and into harvest time. Insecticidal sprays will prevent pests trying to disrupt a beautiful fruit formation.
If you have trouble trying to keep up with different types of sprays for different times of the year, there are general-purpose fruit tree sprays you can stick to that will take care of various issues that might come your fruit tree’s way.
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