Question
I have an apple and plum tree that had worms in the fruit. When and with what should I spray the trees to prevent this. I have a new peach tree that did not produce fruit this year but want to keep it healthy. Please advise. Thank you.
Bette
Novato
Answer
Fruit trees require dormant spraying to keep them free of diseases and worms. To prevent fungal disease, the first spraying should occur right after leaf fall. Use a lime sulfur spray (Bonide Orchard spray) or copper sulfate spray. Copper sulfate is more effective in controlling peach leaf curl. It is recommended that trees be pruned as soon as possible (why spray what is going to be cut away?). A second spraying occurs in late December/January and then again when the buds begin to swell in late winter/early spring.
To prevent worms (Codling moth) from infesting fruit, spray affected trees at 3/4 petal fall and again when young fruits are the size of a pea with Spinosad. It is recommended that apples and pears be sprayed once a month to control subsequent egg hatches. You can also hang Codling Moth traps in the trees in early spring to capture male moths thus interrupting the mating cycle.
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