Category: disease

disease

Still Time to Spray Dormant Oil

With the late spring, many of the fruit trees have not budded by now. There is still a small window of time to spray dormant spray for pest control later in the year.

Photo R. Siegel

“Dormant oil sprays are used on fruit trees before the buds begin to swell and suffocate insects and their eggs nesting in branches. Using dormant oil on fruit trees doesn’t completely eliminate the problem with these pests, but it is the best way to cut off most of the population, leaving a simpler problem later in the season.”

Read more at Gardening Know How: What Is Dormant Oil: Information About Dormant Oil Sprays On Fruit Trees https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/fegen/dormant-oil-information.htm

clean up

Trees in October

Be sure to rake up all the fallen leaves and put them into the compost. If the leaves are left, they can encourage fungal growth, other diseases and insects.

Pruning a treeOctober is also a good time to get deciduous hedges and those big trees pruned before the winter gales.

A tree may need pruning for a variety of reasons:
· to remove diseased or storm-damaged branches
· to thin the crown to permit new growth and better air circulation
· to reduce the height of a tree
· to remove obstructing lower branches
· to shape a tree for design purposes

Why not give us a call today for an estimate?

disease

Window is closing for dormant spraying

Dormant spraying your fruit trees for pests is best done starting in November up until March if the weather stays cool.

Spraying fruit trees during the cool seasons, November through March, can help control pests that take up residence in the cracks and crevices, according to Ross Penhallegon, horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. Such dormant spraying is more effective than waiting until the weather warms and pests become active.

Some sprays that can be used are:

Apples: Spray copper before fall rains; dormant oil once or twice from January through March; lime-sulfur in January or February (just before buds open) and wettable sulfur just after petal fall.

Apricots: Spray copper before the fall rains and dormant oil in February.

Cherries: Use wettable sulfur or lime-sulfur applied weekly during blooming for brown rot. Information on synthetic sprays to control cherry fruit fly is available at your local county office of the OSU Extension Service.

Pears: Spray copper before the fall rains; spray lime-sulfur two to three times beginning in fall, again during winter, and finally in March just before buds open; spray dormant oil in early spring before buds open and wettable sulfur just after petal fall.

Peaches: Spray copper or a good dormant fungicide three to four times between December and bud break. Spray copper or lime-sulfur before fall rains and in spring just before bud break; apply sulfur weekly during blooming and again after all petals have fallen.

For the full list and further information, click here.

deadwood removal

Wait to prune your trees until after the leaves fall

Willow tree
OK! OK! I’ll wait a bit.

Pruning too soon can harm your trees and shrubs.So, when it comes to fall pruning, procrastination is the way to go.

Pruning a little branch or two may be OK, bigger tasks like thinning the crown or cutting a big limb should wait unless the tree is a hazard. If it is a hazard, you should likely call the professionals in any case. 

  • In early autumn, wounds from pruning close more slowly and plants are at risk for fungal diseases. For most trees, the best time for major pruning is November to early spring because wounds close faster.
  • Pruning in late summer and early autumn may also stimulate new growth, which has little time to harden before cold weather comes.
  • If you must prune in fall, wait until trees drop their leaves and are dormant—usually October or November. Then, you can see the tree’s structure and identify disease and insect problems more easily.
  • Dormancy (especially late winter to early spring) is also a good time to prune evergreens because vigorous spring growth will hide pruning wounds.
  • One exception to the no-fall-pruning advice is that you should remove dead, diseased, and damaged wood as soon as possible –– for tree health and your safety. Take proper safety precautions at all times. Hire a professional tree service to remove big limbs, high branches, and any other tree job that you’re not prepared to do.

 

deadwood removal

Spraying time again for fruit trees

Sanitation

Disease problems in fruit trees often overwinter on dried fruits and leaves that fell to the ground in the Autumn and were never cleaned up. The spores stay to re-infect the tree in the spring as the leaves begin to emerge. This is why sanitation beneath and around your fruit trees is critical. Rake up and removes all debris from the tree,  each year. Dead or diseased branches must be pruned and removed each spring.

Dormant Oil

You should apply dormant oil spray to your fruit trees before they begin to bud out. For apple and pear trees, dormant oil is used to control scale and spider mitesPlum, peach, apricot and cherry require lime-sulphur spray.

The spray must be applied at the right time with complete coverage of the tree. Dormant oil or lime-sulphur should be sprayed on the tree while it is still dormant. Thin out excessive growth before spraying.

DO NOT combine dormant oil applications with lime-sulfur, or pesticides containing sulfur, as tree injury may result.

Here is a link to a dormant spray guide. Learn more about dormant spraying here.

disease

Get Rid of Tree Canker Quickly

Black Knot FungusTree Canker or Black Knot is caused by a fungus and affects a wide range of species including plums, cherries and apricots. Spore release is heaviest at blossom time. Prune and destroy infected branches before bud break.

Prune at least 2-4 inches below each knot. If pruning or removal of major limbs is not possible then you must cut away the knot down to healthy wood at least 1/2 inch beyond the knot.

Infected trees usually require pruning on an annual basis until the disease is completely eradicated. Knots will continue to grow until they girdle the branch and kill it. Severe infections can eventually kill the tree.

If you notice Black Knot on your trees, give us a call at your earliest convenience!