[jse5019]

I planted my first fruit trees this spring and now have noticed that some of the leaves are getting pretty chewed up on one pear and one apple. Can I spray pesticides at this stage and if so, what do you guys recommend?

I did try some google searches but all the opinions are overwhelming lol.

Thanks in advance!

 

[delphic93]

I am still a rookie at my fruit trees, but I believe you are safe to spray as long as they have not flowered yet. Once they flower, the pesticide will kill your pollinating insects that land on the flower. This is what I have deciphered from reading label on my spray. I use bonide fruit spray and nut guard to spray my trees.

 

[nomad_archer]

I have been experimenting over the last 3 years to find something that was effective. I tried the bonide fruit tree spray but that didn't do anything to curb the Japanese beetles.

This year I am using bonide neem oil II as a maintenance fungicide/insecticide and sevin for when the beetles usually show up in june/july. I am also using immunox for disease prevention since my nectarine tree has leaf curl and a few grape vines have a mildew. Good luck. I don't know if this combo will be effective for me but it is what I am going to try because all of the products I am using work with all of my plants.

 

[Bowsnbucks38]

I've been planting apple, pear, and crabapple trees for 4 years now and for bugs I use Sevin. But like Delphic said - you don't want to use Sevin until after the trees are done blooming. You don't want to kill the pollinators!! Sevin will also thin your fruit crop, but in the early years of tree growth, you don't want apples too early. Give the trees more energy to grow by hand-thinning or if you spray with Sevin, that'll thin the fruit. Energy spent to growing fruit will set back the tree's overall growth. Sevin will keep the Japs controlled.

Once your trees get bigger, Imidan is the insect control recommended by most apple growers. In March you can spray with dormant season oil to kill over-wintering insects and eggs laid the previous summer.

 

[nomad_archer]

Thanks bowsnbucks. It sounds like I am on the right track so far. Where is a good place to get Imidan? Does it come in a homeowner friendly concentrate size?

 

[jse5019]

Thank you for the input. I'll pick up some Sevin for after they bloom.