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Fruit Tree spraying #852591

Asked October 08, 2023, 9:02 PM EDT

Living in Benzie County. Looking for information on organic spraying and pesticide spraying for apple trees I just planted. Products and what time of year??

Benzie County Michigan

Expert Response

Good morning. Organic management of fruit trees can be tough, but it can be done. The main disease to control will be apple scab (https://www.canr.msu.edu/ipm/diseases/apple_scab). You would use a copper 'fungicide' to control this disease as most coppers are considered organic. It is sometimes called Bordeaux mixture.


Insect pests will include  codling moth  and plum curculio. We do sometimes see obliquebanded leaf roller cause issues in apples. These will be hard to control organically. You could use virus to control codling moth but there is nothing for the other two pests. Here are some links to help learn more about these pests.

https://www.canr.msu.edu/ipm/diseases/codling_moth

https://www.canr.msu.edu/ipm/diseases/plum_curculio

https://www.canr.msu.edu/ipm/diseases/obliquebanded_leafroller

Lastly, Enviroweather is a great free tool provided by MSU. We have weather stations around the state (one in Benzonia) that collect real time weather data that gets fed into models to predict when to control a disease or an insect. It is pretty slick. 

https://enviroweather.msu.edu/


Nothing to worry about until next spring. Good luck!

An Ask Extension Expert Replied October 20, 2023, 8:47 AM EDT
Good morning and happy spring!!
I forgot to ask you all about something I should be doing to my apple trees this spring.
Again, I am in Lake Ann (Benzie County).  New trees planted last fall (2) total, along with a crab apple tree
What should I be putting on them now?
Thank you,
Marc Heuser
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From: ask=<personal data hidden> <ask=<personal data hidden>> on behalf of Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>>
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2023 8:47 AM
To: Marc Heuser <<personal data hidden>>
Subject: Re: Fruit Tree spraying (#0122516)
 
The Question Asker Replied May 29, 2024, 9:43 AM EDT

I think a Bordeaux mixture is the best thing for scab right now. We are having serious scab weather with all the rain. Powdery mildew is also an issue this year. Sulfur is really the only organic option now. Plum curculio is out now, and we have no beetle materials that will work that are labeled organically. You could try to use kaolin clay, but you need excellent coverage of your fruit.

https://essentialorganicingredients.com/products/misc-packaging-kaolin-clay-powder?variant=<personal data hidden>126¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_a2zvJWzhgMVdDUIBR3O5wFIEAQYBSABEgK44PD_BwE

An Ask Extension Expert Replied May 29, 2024, 11:24 AM EDT

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