For fruit growers, the joy of harvesting a crop that is made in to pies, cobblers, and any number of other delicious fruit based foods typically doesn’t come without some effort!  The disease and insect pressures our fruit crops face can be a real challenge and in some cases could call for pest control applications.  The following are a few hints from KSU Horticulture Specialist Dr. Ward Upham about how to manage your 2017 Pest Control program:

Sadly, weather often dictates whether we have fruit or not.  Such is the case for some peach and apricot growers this year due to the mid-December cold snap and/or late frosts that have hit some parts of the area.  Because fruit buds on peaches and nectarines are most often killed if the temperature reaches negative ten degrees, some places will have nice healthy trees – but no fruit!  Without fruit, there’s obviously no need to spray, but if there is fruit, use a product that contains captan or myclobutanil every 10 days from now until about two weeks prior to harvest.  Specific issues like borers or peach leaf curl may require additional attention as well!

In most cases, we get good fruit on cherries without spraying.  Wet springs like this one, however, can lead to problems with brown rot.  For protection, apply myclobutanil or Captan.  If cherry fruit fly has been an issue, a Malathion containing products or Sevin may be in order.

The crop that typically has the greatest need for spraying is actually apples!  Recent rains have results in bright orange growths on cedar trees.  This cedar apple rust fungus can cause real problems unless trees are resistant.  Codling moth is a perpetual problem.  Upham recommends application of a myclobutanil (fungicide) product every 10 days from when leaves appear until petal drop.  At petal drop, but add Bonide Fruit Tree and Plant Guard to fungicide.  NOTE:  you are limited to four applications of the Bonide product per year.  After June 1drop the fungicide.

A spreader-sticker should be used with fruit tree sprays to improve the distribution and retention of fungicides and insecticides on fruit/leaves.  Even so, rain can reduce the length of time the materials are effective.  Less than an inch of rain since the last spray will not significantly affect residues. One to two inches will reduce the residue by one half, necessitating a reduction in the number of days until the next spray by one half. More than two inches of rain since the last spray will remove most of the spray residue. Re-spray as soon as possible.  

Further information on controlling insects and diseases on fruit trees can be found in K-State Research and Extension publication Fruit Pest Control for Home Gardens.  It can be found online at:  http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/c592.pdf and is available through your District Extension Office.

Additional products may be available that are not listed in the above article.  No endorsement or criticism of chemicals is implied.  Always read and follow label directions!