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A Guide to Fruit Tree Sprays
for the Home Garden
Introduction
As an owner of backyard fruit trees, you should make every effort to control
the insect pests and diseases listed in this guide to reduce risks to your
neighbours and especially to nearby commercial orchards. Use gardening
practices that discourage or prevent development of pest problems. Consult
local nurseries, garden centres, or the Home &
Garden Pest Management Guide for BC for information on fruit
tree management practices that prevent pest problems and improve fruit quality
and quantity.This guide provides recommended pesticides and cultural practices to control
common diseases and insect pests of fruit trees. Only use pesticides when all
other efforts to protect the fruit and trees have failed. The tables list only
the common names of pesticides (e.g. carbaryl, ferbam) that may appear on the
labels of products with different trade names. The common name appears in the
guarantee statement on the front of the product label. Many products contain more than one
chemical (e.g. insecticide plus fungicide).
Always read the pesticide label or enclosure for proper application
rates, mixing instructions, and safety precautions. Check with your local
garden centre/nursery for seasonal appearance of pests and diseases which can
vary throughout Southern BC.
After spraying trees, wash spray residues off vegetation beneath and around
the trees. Be careful not to spray nearby vegetables, especially when close to
harvest. Contact with treated foliage should be avoided for two days after
spraying.
Select disease-resistant varieties when planting. Prune trees in dormant season or summer to open up canopy to improve exposure
of fruit to sun, air circulation and spray coverage of leaves and fruit. Remove
all fruit from the trees at harvest and destroy any insect-infested or
disease-infected fruit to reduce the risk of problems the following year.
Commercial pest
control companies with licensed pesticide applicators have access to newer and
more effective agricultural pest control products that are not available to the
home gardener.
Preharvest Intervals
(Days required between pesticide application and fruit harvest)
Pesticide |
Product type |
Apple |
Apricot |
Cherry |
Peach |
Pear |
Plum |
Bacillus thuringiensis* |
I |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
captan1 |
F |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
carbaryl |
I |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
copper oxychloride* |
F |
N/R |
1 |
1 (sour) |
1 |
1 |
N/R |
copper sulphate* |
F |
1 |
N/R |
N/R |
1 |
N/R |
N/R |
dicofol |
M |
7 |
14 |
7 |
14 |
7 |
7 |
dimethoate3 |
I |
28 |
N/R |
21 |
N/R |
14 |
N/R |
endosulfan |
I |
N/R |
N/R |
N/R |
15 |
N/R |
15 |
ferbam2 |
F |
7 |
N/R |
7 |
21 |
7 |
14 |
folpet |
F |
1 |
N/R |
N/R |
N/R |
N/R |
N/R |
lime sulphur* |
F |
dormant spray only |
malathion |
I |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
permethrin |
I |
7 |
N/R |
N/R |
7 |
7 |
7 |
phosalone2 |
I |
7 |
N/R |
7 |
21 |
7 |
14 |
insecticidal soap* |
I |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
sulphur* |
F |
1 |
N/R |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
F = Fungicide, I = Insecticide, M = Miticide, N/R = Not Registered,
*Organic
1
Only available in mixtures of captan + carbaryl or captan + malathion +
carbaryl
2
Only available in mixtures of ferbam + phosalone
3
Dimethoate can only be applied to backyard fruit trees by licensed pesticide
applicators.Pesticide Regulations
Gardeners can only use those pesticide products that include the word
DOMESTIC on the label.
Poison symbols on the label indicate the toxicity in diminishing
order:
DANGER |
WARNING |
CAUTION |
![danger symbol](/web/20061229063556im_/http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/images/danger.gif) |
![warning symbol](/web/20061229063556im_/http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/images/warning.gif) |
![caution symbol](/web/20061229063556im_/http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/images/caution.gif) |
POISON |
POISON |
POISON |
|
Always keep pesticides in lockable, ventilated, cool, dry storage. Keep powders and dusts
dry and cool and do not freeze liquid products.
Apples
Timing |
Pests/Comments |
Suggested Chemicals |
Special Instructions/
Cultural Practices |
Late Dormant to 1/2" Green |
Aphids, Mites & Scale Insects
(lime sulphur can harm beneficial mites) |
Dormant Oil
or Lime Sulphur |
Do not apply below 4oC or if freezing temperatures forecast
before the spray is dry. Thorough coverage is necessary. |
Pink bud to Petal Fall, Summer |
Leafrollers
|
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
or Carbaryl
or Malathion |
Apply Bt during bloom and/or petal fall; apply later in day when no
threat of rain within 24 hours after use. Thin fruit to singles to reduce
damage. |
Pink bud and/or Petal Fall |
Powdery Mildew |
Sulphur |
Prune branch tips with white powdery appearance in early spring. |
Pink bud and/or Petal Fall |
Apple Scab |
Captan1
or Folpet
or Sulphur |
Rake up and remove fallen leaves in the fall or spring |
10 Days after Petal Fall to September |
Codling Moth |
Malathion
or Phosalone2
or Carbaryl |
Apply when codling moth damage first appears (stings) and at
intervals specified on the labels. Destroy all infested fruit. Wrap
corrugated cardboard around truck in June to capture larvae for destruction.
Reapply bands in July and destroy during the winter. Thin fruit to singles
to reduce damage. |
10 Days after Petal Fall |
Powdery Mildew |
Sulphur |
|
10 Days after Petal Fall |
Apple Scab |
Captan1
or Folpet
or Sulphur |
Wet years only. See cultural practices above. |
Summer |
Aphids |
Insecticidal Soap
or Malathion
or
Phosalone2 |
Spray only if fruit/leaves become sticky with honeydew and if ladybugs
or other predatory insects are not present. |
Summer |
Apple Maggot |
Carbaryl
or Phosalone2
or Permethrin |
Also treat crabapples and hawthorn trees. Destroy infested
fruit before maggot leaves fruit (before harvest). |
Pears
Timing |
Pests/Comments |
Suggested Chemicals |
Special Instructions/
Cultural Practices |
Full Dormant |
Blister Mites, Rust Mites, Psylla, Scale, Aphids |
Dormant Oil
Dormant Oil plus Lime Sulphur |
See instructions under apples. Good coverage essential. |
Pink to Petal Fall, Summer |
Leafroller |
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
or Carbaryl
or Malathion |
See special instructions under apples. |
When present |
Pear Slug |
Insecticidal Soap |
|
1st Week of August |
Codling Moth |
Carbaryl
or
Phosalone2 |
See instructions under apples. |
When present |
Mites |
Insecticidal Soap
or Dicofol
or Malathion
or Sulphur |
|
Apricots
Timing |
Pests/Comments |
Suggested Chemicals |
Special Instructions/
Cultural Practices |
Petal Fall |
Peach Twig Borer |
|
Check for and destroy infested shoots (flagging).
Leafroller sprays will help control twig borer.
|
Pink Stage |
Brown Rot Blossom and Shoot Blight |
Captan1 |
Remove and destroy mummified fruit from previous year before bloom.
Fungicide/insecticide mixtures should not be used at bloom to protect bees. |
Petal Fall, Summer |
Leafrollers |
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
or Carbaryl
or Malathion |
See special instructions under apple.
|
Husk Fall |
Coryneum Blight |
Ferbam2 |
Treatment at husk fall helps to prevent fruit infection.
|
Husk Fall |
Peach Twig Borer |
|
Check for and destroy infested shoots (flagging). Leafroller sprays will
help to control twig borer.
|
Husk Fall |
Earwigs |
Tangle Foot |
Apply in narrow band around trunk at waist level when earwigs first
noticed. Maintain to harvest. Trap earwigs in rolled newspaper or cardboard
and destroy. |
Ripening Fruit |
Brown Rot
(wet years only) |
Captan1 |
Collect and destroy rotten fruit from the tree and the ground.
Observe pre-harvest intervals. |
July |
Peach Tree Borer |
|
Examine crown area for
larvae under bark and destroy (look for masses of sap or pitch). |
Early September |
Coryneum Blight |
Fixed Copper |
Fall copper treatments help to prevent twig cankers. Prune out infected
twigs during the dormant season. |
Cherries
Timing |
Pests/Comments |
Suggested Chemicals |
Special Instructions/
Cultural Practices |
Petal Fall to Harvest |
Leafrollers |
Bacillus thuringiensis
or Carbaryl
or Malathion |
See special instructions under apples. Observe pre-harvest intervals.
|
When present |
Aphids |
Insecticidal Soap
or Phosalone2
or Malathion |
Sprays for fruit fly will control aphids and pear slugs. See
instructions under apple.
|
Yellow to Pink Colour Change to Harvest |
Cherry Fruit Fly |
Dimethoate3
or Carbaryl
or
Phosalone2 |
Dimethoate can burn some varieties of cherry. Apply
dimethoate first as fruit changes color, then apply another product to
protect fruit until harvest. Alternatively, apply other products at
intervals specified on the labels, in rotation, beginning as described
above. Observe pre-harvest intervals. Remove all fruit at harvest. |
Ripening Fruit |
Brown Rot (wet years only) |
Captan1
or
Ferbam2 |
Collect and destroy rotten fruit from the tree and the ground.
Observe pre-harvest intervals. |
Peaches and Nectarines
Timing |
Pests/Comments |
Suggested Chemicals |
Special Instructions/
Cultural Practices |
Dormant |
Mites, Scale, Aphid |
Dormant Oil |
See instructions under apples. Lime sulphur should be
applied just before bud break for Leaf Curl control. |
Leaf Curl, Mites, Scale, Aphid |
Dormant Oil plus Lime Sulphur |
Pink Stage |
Peach Twig Borer |
|
Check for and destroy infested shoots (flagging).
|
Pink Stage |
Brown Rot Blossom Blight |
Captan1 |
Remove and destroy mummified fruit from previous year before bloom.
Fungicide/insecticide mixtures should not be used at bloom to protect bees. |
Petal Fall |
Peach Twig Borer |
|
Check for and destroy infested shoots (flagging).
|
Husk Fall |
Coryneum Blight |
Ferbam2 |
Treatment at husk fall helps to prevent fruit infection.
|
When first noticed |
Earwigs |
Tangle Foot |
Apply in narrow band around trunk at waist level and maintain until
harvest. |
Early July and Mid July |
Peach Tree Borer |
Endosulfan |
Spray trunk and lower limbs at 2 week interval. Examine crown area for
larvae under bark and destroy (look for masses of sap or pitch). |
Ripening Fruit |
Brown Rot
(wet years only) |
Captan1 |
Collect and destroy rotten fruit from the tree and the ground.
Observe pre-harvest intervals. |
September |
Coryneum Blight, Leaf Curl |
Fixed Copper
or Copper Sulphate |
Prune out infected twigs during the dormant season. |
Prunes and Plums
Timing |
Pests/Comments |
Suggested Chemicals |
Special Instructions/
Cultural Practices |
In some years no sprays are required on prunes and plums. |
Petal
Fall to Harvest |
Leafrollers |
Bacillus thuringiensis
or Carbaryl
or Malathion |
See
special instructions under apples. Observe pre-harvest intervals. |
Early
July and mid July |
Peach Tree Borer |
Endosulfan |
Spray trunk and lower limbs at 2 week interval. Examine
crown area for larvae under bark and destroy (look for masses of sap or
pitch). |
Ripening Fruit |
Brown Rot
(wet years only) |
Captan1
or
Ferbam2 |
Collect and destroy rotten fruit from the tree and the ground.
Observe pre-harvest intervals. |
1
Only available in mixtures of captan + carbaryl or captan +
malathion + carbaryl
2 Only available in mixtures of ferbam + phosalone
3
Dimethoate can only be applied to backyard fruit trees by
licensed pesticide applicators. Revised September, 2006
View a printable PDF version of this factsheet
Return to Pest Management Home
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