Fruit trees require specific care to grow well. Chemicals can help protect against pests and diseases. We've researched when and what to spray for healthy, fruitful trees.
Apply various sprays on a schedule relative to fruit trees' growth cycle to optimize their effectiveness and avoid interfering with or disrupting the plants' development. The stages of the process and their observable characteristics are as follows:
A tree's dormant period is the inactive stage, often in winter before spring growth. Dormant sprays control pests/diseases and are applied every 3 years, best used in late winter.
Pre-blossom stage is when nodes form into bud clusters. Insecticidal sprays are best applied now to prevent damage from pests. Vary treatments to avoid insecticide tolerance.
Different fruit tree types/variants blossom at different times. Avoid using chemicals during flowering to protect pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Petal fall marks end of blooming, start of fruiting. This stage is critical due to pest susceptibility. General purpose fruit sprays can help control infestations without disrupting growth, but may not work for all diseases.
Fruit production ends the growth cycle. Foliar fertilizers can supplement soil nutrients, helping fruit quality and yield.