Fruit tree care

Wildride47 · Apr 1, 2016

I'm thinking about adding a few peach trees and some apple trees to the field around the garden. I've never provided cared for fruit trees and would like to hear for some of you that keep them. What do I need to do from the standpoint of spray treatments for insects and fungus to keepers healthy.

Thank you, Greg

Russ from MN · Apr 1, 2016

We have a wonderful apple tree in our yard, get lots of good eating apples, and have never sprayed it with anything. We pruned it a
couple of weeks ago and put some tree spike around it, that's it, I was told once what kind it is, but I don't remember.

GordoSD · Apr 1, 2016

Really fun hobby. I started 13 years ago and I plant 5 new fruit trees every spring. Quit trying to nurse the bare root and buy the 6-8 foot 5 gallon, 40 dollar trees. Have 2-3 of all kinds. now. Have been pruning in March. First spray in a few days. I spray every 10 days in the summer,25 gallon tank and pump on ATV. but I have lots of cedar trees nearby, It's a real pleasure to give the neighbor a bucket full of delicious peach, pear, apple, cherry, apricot, chokecherry, buffalo berry for jam and jelly. And I give away about 40 pies every summer/fall. Have a short list for my Granny Smith apples from 13 yr old LARGE tree.
If you have deer around plant close to house. And use repellants. Plant amur maples close also. Bucks seem to prefer them for Rubs.

Wildride47 · Apr 1, 2016

What spray products are you using? Your trees are just what we are looking to do with our back property. Sounds like a very rewarding way to spend your time and shake with the neighbors

D beatty · Apr 1, 2016

I still have several apple trees that we do nothing with but the apples on them are stung and have worms in them.

GordoSD · Apr 1, 2016

Buy the spray at the nursery where you get your trees. Don't buy from big box stores. I use the "all purpose sprays and alternate.
This years trees on order are Braeburn Apple (great pie apple. Harralson apple,Biannual producer, Have one want another. incredible sweet tart apple for applesauce. Waneta cherry New to me. Superior plum. Contender peach.

D beatty · Apr 2, 2016

By having Cedar trees near by don't you have trouble with the red apple fungus which is a fungus that cedar trees carry.

JD Dave · Apr 2, 2016

You'll find a wealth of information in the form of fruit recommendation guides at ag university web sites in states where fruit is grown: Washington State University, Michigan State University, Cornell University, Rutgers University, etc.

TomH in PA · Apr 2, 2016

Mostly three things you need to do: keep them pruned, spray to control disease and worms, and (except for cherries) thin the fruit in the spring so you get fewer but bigger.

Pear trees don't need to be sprayed unless the tree gets blight but when they ripen you'll have a whole lot of pears for a few days.

FBH44 · Apr 2, 2016

I would not get full-sized trees. Get dwarf or semi-dwarf trees if you can. Fruit will be the same size, but the tree will not be the size of a single-car garage. With the fruit way up there. Prune apples in a central-leader pattern, prune peach trees in an open-bowl pattern. I found the best place to get trees is the local Lowes, they are balled in a big bucket. Pay attention if you need TWO different ones for pollination. Plant in the fall, if you can. I've had bad luck with bare-root trees, like Stark Bros. Spray spray spray. Bear in mind how BIG they are gonna get. Plant accordingly. Need full sun.

glennster · Apr 2, 2016

I use bonide fruit tree spray in the spring, its a fungicide and insecticide. Thru summer, liquid sevin to keep the bugs off, and also the bonide,
then in the fall, dormant oil spray. Watch for diseases and insects and spray accordingly. Dont spray when the trees blossom, it can kill the bees
that are pollinating the trees.

Charlie M · Apr 2, 2016

I live in a big apple area in western NY and have a couple I've planted. Biggest problem I have is apple scab and anything from a garden center doesn't do much for it.Some varieties are more susceptible than others so you may want to consider that when picking a type.Only problem I've ever had with peaches are bores that can get in the trunk and kill the tree. That can be dealt with if that's an issue in your area.If you live in an area with tough winters peaches can be killed off if it gets way too cold or very cold after a warm spell. There are some real cold hearty varieties available that have a very good peach.I've found that with almost any fruit or vegetable the later producing varieties are better tasting.Pick up a seed catalog and you will be able to see all the varieties that are available.

Wildride47 · Apr 2, 2016

Great point about the pollinators and insecticide. We keep bees and have been watching the developing story about the cause of hive collapse (mass bee deaths). Our insecticide and GMO crops are leading culprits as possible causes. I believe we have also bread a weekness into our bee population making them sensitive to this type of mass death.

Thank you all for your recommendations. We will keep an eye out for the dwarf variety of stock, it sounds like there is a lot to be learned about the different varietys and climate tolerance. I have to purchase our spring pasture herbicide, I'll look at the tree products while I'm there.

ed will · Apr 2, 2016

Hi, I grow 14 varieties of peaches for fruit stand.
This allows over 2 months of continuous picking. I
would say most popular is Glohaven. There are
some very important sprays. 1: copper oxychloride
for prevention of peach leaf curl. 2: something for
peach twig borer. (I use a commercial insecticide
that is not available for small growers) just inquire
on line or a competent nursery for something
suitable for you.There are others for aphids etc,
etc.Ed Will Oliver BC

RJKeith · Apr 2, 2016

My advise is talk to the local county agricultural agent before planting. Especially for good varieties in you area. I live in central Va, went to the local box store, and got Belle Georgia, the picture of the peach on the label looked really nice. The trees always want to bloom early March during the first warm spell, the one just before the late March/ early April freeze, or even snow storm. If you look close in the picture you can see the pink of the blooms.

Teakettle · Apr 2, 2016

The only bad pests we have in our area are gypsy moths/winter moths (which are pretty easy to take care of but the time window to do it is short and if it's raining the whole time it can be impossible to spray), and plum curculio (which
seems controllable only with Imidan, the combo sprays aren't very effective). My experience is that pears are the easiest to take care of (especially Moonglow), peaches next easiest (might need a spray for brown rot if you have a wet
summer). My advice is to find a large-scale grower as close as possible to you and find out what they spray for and when.

GordoSD · Apr 2, 2016

Cedar apple rust. I spry for it constantly. And keep the area beneath the tree spotless, no dead or live vegetation at all. Plain smooth soil. That is sprayed every 10 days also.

GordoSD · Apr 2, 2016

I spray captan for cedar apple rust only in spring, Apr-June.

jacks · Apr 2, 2016

Greg, I agree with the suggestion of talking
with your county agent. Box stores and some
garden centers will sell varieties that are
not the best for your area. Peach trees are
rated for chilling hours, which is the
number of hours between about 32-45 degree F
temperature during the winter. A high chill
hour (800+) tree is good for mid to northern
climates. A low chill hour (200-400) is
good for the deep south. If you choose a
low chill hour tree in a cold climate, it
will get the blossoms freeze damaged most
years. I have a Santa Rosa plum that I
bought at a local garden center. I am in
Eastern VA. Each year it blossoms in late
February, when there are no bees or other
pollinators active to pollinate it. It
never has any plums unless I hand pollinate
it. Do some research and find out what
fruit trees that grow successfully in your
area.

Wildride47 · Apr 2, 2016

(quoted from post at 14:38:10 04/02/16) Greg, I agree with the suggestion of talking
with your county agent. Box stores and some
garden centers will sell varieties that are
not the best for your area. Peach trees are
rated for chilling hours, which is the
number of hours between about 32-45 degree F
temperature during the winter. A high chill
hour (800+) tree is good for mid to northern
climates. A low chill hour (200-400) is
good for the deep south. If you choose a
low chill hour tree in a cold climate, it
will get the blossoms freeze damaged most
years. I have a Santa Rosa plum that I
bought at a local garden center. I am in
Eastern VA. Each year it blossoms in late
February, when there are no bees or other
pollinators active to pollinate it. It
never has any plums unless I hand pollinate
it. Do some research and find out what
fruit trees that grow successfully in your
area.

Roger that,

My wife thinks I drag me feet all the time. Reality is I'm researching, reading and anything else I can to make sure I make an educated decision. The family here has saved my backside on more than one occasion. Thank you all for your input. I think we will start slow and trial our process and expand (4-6 trees a year after if we enjoy the crop and maintaining the property.

Greg

Fruit tree care

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Similar threads