- 1). Measure the materials and mix a general-purpose fruit spray according to manufacturer's directions. Pour it into a sprayer. General-purpose fruit sprays usually contain insecticides to control pests and fungicides to tackle a wide range of diseases, according to the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
- 2). Spray the tree, thoroughly covering foliage and fruit. Shake the sprayer constantly while applying, to keep the chemicals mixed. Spray on a calm day, when there is no wind to drift the chemical spray to neighboring plants. Apply general-purpose sprays after the tree has lost most of its petals and every seven to 14 days until harvest.
- 3). Monitor the tree. General-purpose sprays are designed to control average pest and disease problems. Different sprays are necessary to control more serious outbreaks.
- 4). Mix a copper sulfate-based fungicide such as Bordeaux mixture (2 oz. copper sulfate and 3 oz. hydrated lime per gallon of water) in the sprayer if you notice symptoms of peach leaf curl or plum pockets in your stone fruit trees (peaches, plums and cherries). Spray in February, when the tree is dormant.
- 5). Mix 1/2 oz. of the fungicide Immunox in a gallon of water if your fruit trees are especially susceptible to powdery mildew or brown rot. Spray every seven to 10 days from spring, when green growth is just beginning, until a month after the tree has lost its petals. Do not use it more than 10 times per season for apples or more than seven times per season for peaches, nectarines or cherries.
- 6). Mix 6 oz. dormant oil per gallon of water in the sprayer if you notice a heavy outbreak of scale in any fruit tree. Spray on a mild day in spring, when green growth has just begun.
- 7). Mix 3 tbsp. of the fungicide captan and one gallon of water in the sprayer if your apple or pear tree is susceptible to apple scab or cedar apple rust. Spray in spring, just before the blossoms open, and include the captan in the general-purpose spray every six weeks.
- 8). Mix 1 tsp. of the fungicide streptomycin with a gallon of water in the sprayer if your pear or apple tree is susceptible to fire blight. Spray just before blossoms open and every five days until the petals are gone. This is especially important for pear trees, which can be destroyed quickly by fire blight.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -