Do I still need to spray my apple tree if I bag the fruit? - Ask Extension
I'm looking into getting an espalier apple tree for my home garden. I'd plan to protect the individual apples with drawstring bags. Would that reduce ...
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Do I still need to spray my apple tree if I bag the fruit? #869755
Asked May 23, 2024, 11:07 AM EDT
I'm looking into getting an espalier apple tree for my home garden. I'd plan to protect the individual apples with drawstring bags. Would that reduce or eliminate the need to spray?
Thank you!
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
Thank you for your question, Anna. The answer requires a question: for what? There are 36 diseases of apples (Malus) in our region. https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-and-disease-descriptions?title=apple Some diseases are airborne, for which bagging won't prevent infection. Others are soil borne, with similar effects.
There are 27 insect species known to infest apple trees. https://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/crop-pests?page=1 Many, but not all, can be protected by coverage.
I suggest that you read the following article on home orchards, which has suggestions for protecting fruit trees: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/ec-819-growing-tree-fruits-nuts-home-orchard
Here is another article about this growing technique: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/training-fruit-tree-espalier-takes-good-dash-dedication
Good luck!
There are 27 insect species known to infest apple trees. https://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/crop-pests?page=1 Many, but not all, can be protected by coverage.
I suggest that you read the following article on home orchards, which has suggestions for protecting fruit trees: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/ec-819-growing-tree-fruits-nuts-home-orchard
Here is another article about this growing technique: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/training-fruit-tree-espalier-takes-good-dash-dedication
Good luck!
