Caring for Fruit Trees Grant Jones City of

Caring for Fruit Trees Grant Jones City of Bowling Green

Outline • • Pruning Fertilizing Pest Management Thinning Fruit

Strong union without a bark inclusion Collar

Branch Attachment Image from Up by the Roots

Included Bark

Good Branch Attachment

Proper Finishing Cuts

Closure of Pruning Cuts

Improper Cut

Types of Pruning Cuts • Thinning cut – Remove branch back to a lateral – Preferred cut in many cases • Heading back – Cutting back of current growth or one year growth – In shrubs technique may result in a lot of stem tissue and few leaves

Proper Heading Cut

Dense vs. Open Growth

Training Young Trees Peach Plum Apricot Cherry Source: Midwest Home Fruit Production Guide Apples Pears

Training Apple and Pear – Year 1 • Select 3 -4 scaffolds • Space branches • Remove shoots below first scaffold in 1 -2 years

Spacing Branches Source: New Mexico State Extension

Training - Years 2 -5 • Space branches for first 5 years • Remove unwanted shoots/branches along central leader • Eventually cut leader back to 2 year old wood for pyramidal shape

Training – Open Vase • Select 3 -4 scaffold branches • Heading cut to central leader just after selected scaffolds • Heading cut to outward lateral bud

• Mature Prune. Trees in late winter/early spring • Balance dose with vigor • Maintain form – Remove upward and downward growing branches • Allow light penetration/airflow

Overgrown Fruit Trees Source: Ravenskill Orchard

Questions to ask: Source: Ravenskill Orchard

Questions to ask: 1) Do you enjoy fruit trees Source: Ravenskill Orchard

Questions to ask: 1) Do you enjoy fruit trees 2) Does the fruit taste good Source: Ravenskill Orchard

Questions to ask: 1) Do you enjoy fruit trees 2) Does the fruit taste good 3) Are the trees in good shape Source: Ravenskill Orchard

Neglected Trees • Step 1 – Remove dead and diseased branches

Neglected Trees • Step 1 – Remove dead and diseased branches • Step 2 – Remove crossing and rubbing branches

Neglected Trees • Step 1 – Remove dead and diseased branches • Step 2 – Remove crossing and rubbing branches • Step 3 – If reducing height significantly, spread it out over several years.

Fertilizer • Soil test first • Don’t over apply N – Pruning/vigor • Pears/Apples • Annually, Only N when mature, overapplying N promotes fireblight • Cherry/Peach – Not needed if 12 -18 inches of new growth

Growing Degree Days www. oardc. ohio-state. edu/gdd/Calendar. View. asp

GDDS for Fruit Pests

Fireblight

Fireblight

Fireblight • Management: – Streptomycin, Oxytetracyclin, and copper-based fungicide may provide some protection – Sterile prune at least 8 -12 below dieback

Apple Scab • Mainly on apple • Brownish, scabby spots on leaves, premature yellowing and leaf drop • Remove leaf litter; preventative fungicides can help

Apple Scab

Apple Scab Control • Fungicide spray program – every 7 days – Products include: Sulfur, Captan • Good Sanitation • Resistant cultivars

Dormant Oil 1 -1. 5%

Identification and Life History

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Codling Moth

Codling Moth • Generations 2 -3 • Monitor using Growing Degree Days (GDD) and pheromone traps • Collect five moths in pheromone trap. Wait 250 GDD and apply a spray treatment • Keep monitoring and apply a second spray treatment 250 GDD after five moths are caught again within a week

Pheromone Traps • Hang pheromone traps in SE side of tree 6 feet off the ground

Other Options ½ cup molasses 2. 5 cups warm water ½ tsp dried bakers yeast Makes enough for 3 ½ gallon milk jugs • Hang from May-Aug • Refill if needed • https: //www. youtube. co m/watch? v=zn 1 huk. QICb. I • •

Brown Rot • Susceptibility: – Sweet Cherries > sour cherries – Nectarines > peaches – Apricots are highly susceptible

Brown Rot • Management: • Remove infested fruit or mummies • Fungicide sprays – 2 at bloom and 2 -3 sprays before harvest

Cherry Leaf Spot • Survives on leaf debris – good sanitation • Fungicides sprays beginning two weeks after bloom – Rotate between myclobutanil and captan at recommended label rates – Copper provides some protection

Peach Leaf Curl

Peach Leaf Curl • Host: Peach • Leaves pucker and curl. Bulges turn from green to yellow to red. White bloom develops on upper leaf surface. • Overwinters on bud scales • Copper-based fungicide prior to bud swell. Applications after budbreak are ineffective Photos from Len Burkhart

Peachtree Borer

Peachtree Borer • Most critical during the first 3 -5 years after planting • Treat bark with protectant to kill eggs when then hatch • Treat at peak emergence using pheromone traps and again six weeks later

Pesticide Basics • Softer Products – Spinosad – Horticultural/Dormant Oil – Insecticidal Soap – Neem – Pyrethrin – Sulfur/Lime

Pesticide Basics – Softer Pesticides Active Ingredient Spinosad Sulfur Copper Dormant/Horticultural Oil Neem Oil Kaolin Klay Controls Caterpillars Fungus Many insects Insects

Preharvest Interval

Fruit Thinning • Heavy fruit set reduces quality • Peaches – ¾ in size, 4 -6 inches between in peaches, 2 -3 inches pear • Apples – Space every 6 inches – Thin early

Fruit Thinning

References Midwest Home Fruit Production Guide: Cultural Practices and Pest Management Midwest Tree Fruit Pest Management Handbook

Grant Jones 419. 353. 4101 gjones@bgohio. org