Apple trees, when to spray?

I have little green apples now, is it to early or to late to spray? What should I use?

Dates may not be exact but it gives a full schedule.

Home Apple Orchard Spraying Schedule

April 2 (Dormant): Dormant Spray 1. Oil should be applied when there will be a 24 hour period where the temperature does not fall below 32 degrees (arguably, 40 degrees).

April 9 (¼-inch to ½ inch green tip): Combo Immunox and Triazicide.

April 15: Dormant Oil 2

April 22 (Pink): Combo Immunox and Triazicide.

Starting April 29 (Bloom): No spraying. Watch bees buzz while the blooms are on.

May 10 (Petal Fall): Combo Immunox and Triazicide.

May 24 (10 to 14 days after Petal Fall): Combo Immunox and Triazicide.

(Optionally, stop spraying. But better, follow up every two or three weeks with another combo spray. This year, I expect to try every three weeks.)

June 15 (5 weeks after Petal Fall): Combo Immunox and Triazicide.

July 10 (8 weeks after Petal Fall): Combo Immunox and Triazicide.

WOW. I think I will just continue to eat around the bugs.

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WOW. I think I will just continue to eat around the bugs.

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My thoughts exactly, I usually spray twice unless it’s really bad.

It’s been a hellish year for all fruit crops. The constant cool/wet early summer creates just a freaking mess when it comes to mold and fungus issues.

I’ve been spraying the holy hell out of my little vineyard and I can’t keep up with the black rot. It took about about half of my red grapes. The white grapes have more natural resistance so I may salvage enough of these to get a crop.

The Japanese Beetles just showed up 2 week ago. They are getting worse, but nothing compared to what they were like the last 5 years.

My dad says the cherry crop was very poor. He is concerned that trees are under-pollenated due to a lack of bees. His apple crop is looking better, but it’s hand to hand combat to keep the various fungi, molds, wrorms, and other pests at bay to bring in any crop at all.

I’m starting to question if I want to continue with my vineyard. The reality is that I have to spray heavily to get any signifcant crop at all.

Overall, I think most people would be shocked at how dependent we are on chemical sprays to deliver supermarket grade fruit crops these days. A home grower can get an apple crop with a couple of applications of spray.

Because the average person will accept almost NO defects even in appearance in the supermarket, the amount of spray it takes to produce these crops is mind-blowing. No freaking wonder the poor bees are under siege. If you’ve ever seen a commercial apple grower “fog” an orchard, you’ll undertand that this isn’t “spraying” it’s basically got to be chemical warfare or you can’t sell the crop.

Grouse

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WOW. I think I will just continue to eat around the bugs.

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My thoughts exactly, I usually spray twice unless it’s really bad.

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I lost my one apple tree and my best of two cherry trees to jap beetles last year. I still cant believe it. Lot of years down the drain. Now I have to start over.

This may not answer your question directly, but my avid fisherman uncle got robbed of his retirement years by cancer caused largely by hisw careless application of fruit herbicides.

It is NOT TIME to spray unless you wear long-sleeved clothing, a good mask, rubber gloves and boots. It is NOT TIME to spray in any significant wind or when the neighbors have their windows open. Shower and wash the clothes immediately after. And READ THE LABEL!

If you think you’re too tough for some simple precautions, visualize yourself wasting away in a hospice ward for a year or two instead of taking your grandkids fishing. My uncle refused nourishment and liquids except for frozen spoonfuls of frozen orange pop after hearing that lung cancer is like drowning…only a whole lot slower. Had been a big jovial postman but weighed less than 100 lbs. at the end.

Uncle Crappie thought he was too tough for common sense.
And smoked a pack a day for many years, doubling his odds.
Nuff said.