Information on Spraying Home Fruit Trees

Cherry tree starting to bloom.

Spraying home fruit trees is important, since there are many insects and pests that can cause harm during the growing season. Insects can lay eggs inside of the fruit, which can ruin the fruit and harm the tree. Fungus can also infect a tree and make it unhealthy, which can invite diseases and termites. It is important to control all pests, including fungus and insects.

Types of Control Spray

There are two types of sprays that should be used on home fruit trees: fungicides and insecticides. Both can be found in dry, mixable versions as well as pre-mixed liquid versions. There are also sprays on the market that contain both fungicide and insecticide.

Organic insecticide sprays for home fruit trees may contain active ingredients such as neem (a natural insecticide and fungicide extracted from mahogany trees) and pyrethrins (a natural fungicide extracted from chrysanthemum seeds). Organic fungicides and pesticides often also include inactive ingredients such as canola oil and citronella oil, as well as piperonyl butoxide, a chemical additive that activates the inactive ingredients. A natural alternative to piperonyl butoxide is sesame oil.

Considerations Before Spraying

Home fruit trees should be free of dead wood, dead branches and rotten fruit before they are sprayed. Pesticides are more effective when the tree has been properly cleaned and prepared for spraying. Tools used for pruning should be disinfected before and after trimming the tree. A household product such as Lysol can be used to disinfect tree-trimming tools. This ensures that any pests or insects that may have infected the tree will not be spread to other fruit trees around the home.

Time Frame for Pest Control

The first blooms begin to appear on most fruit trees at the end of spring and the beginning of summer. This is when the first spraying of both fungicides and insecticides should take place. Home fruit trees should be sprayed every 10 to 14 days in order to keep the trees healthy.

Types of Sprayers

There are two types of spraying techniques for treating home fruit trees with fungicide and insecticide. A sprayer that attaches to a hose can be used with the dry versions of fungicides and insecticides. The water from the hose will mix with the product, spraying it directly onto the fruit tree.

Pre-mixed sprays come prepared in a spray bottle. These liquid versions do not require a hose and can be used directly on the tree.

Warnings

Some fungicides and insecticides are harsh and can cause skin irritation. It is important to wear protective clothing when spraying home fruit trees. Protective clothing can include long pants, long sleeves, goggles, gloves, hat and closed-toe shoes such as sneakers.

Cleaning up after spraying home fruit trees is important to protect small children and pets, since some fungicides and insecticides are toxic. All equipment used during spraying should be washed with water. The area around the fruit trees should also be rinsed off with water in order to ensure that the ground is free of residual sprays. Any clothing worn during the spraying should be washed right away.

References

• University of Wisconsin Urban Horticulture Website: Spraying Techniques for Fruit Trees
• North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service: Growing Apple Trees in the Home Garden
• About Fruit Trees: Spraying Fruit Trees
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: New Biopesticide Active Ingredients - 2009

Resources

• University of New Hampshire: Home Fruit Spray Schedule