Pesticides for Fruit Trees & Vegetable Plants

Pests can ravage your lovingly grown fruit or vegetable crops within days. The right pesticide can help ward off the attack. The best type of pesticide depends on the insect type, as well as the type of fruit tree or vegetable plant that's under attack. With any home pesticide treatment, you're legally obliged to only use it as instructed on the package. Your state may also have local laws about pesticide use and legally allowed products.

Multipurpose Fruit Spray

Working out what's attacking your fruit trees and using the appropriate product is the best option for pest control. However, if you're unsure what's causing the damage or you have several problems you need to address, a multipurpose fruit tree pesticide might be the better choice. According to the University of Rhode Island Landscape Horticulture Program, three ingredients make up an effective multipurpose spray. Malathion prevents sucking insects, captan combats general diseases and methoxychlor combats chewing insects.

Codling Moth

One of the most common fruit tree pests in American gardens is the codling moth. A pesticide such as diazinon(c) will kill the moths. However, you need to spray the fruit trees at the right time. Mark Longstroth, a fruit educator at the University of Michigan Extension, suggests applying the pesticide 14 days after you catch your first seasonal codling moth. Another application is recommended in July, seven days after you see a new moth. The moths produce two generations each year, so you need to deal with each in turn.

Bacillus Thuringiensis

Bacillus thuringiensis is often used in the treatment of fly larvae and some caterpillars that attack vegetable plants. Bacillus thuringiensis itself is actually a naturally occurring bacteria. However, some commercial pesticides use high doses of the bacteria, which can cause infections in insects and larvae. The treatment is considered safe to people and other forms of wildlife, according to Colorado State University Extension. You may need to add multiple applications as BT can lose its effectiveness after a week or less.

Carbaryl

Carbaryl, sold as Sevin in garden stores, can act as a pesticide against several common vegetable plant pests. Target species include asparagus beetle, Colorado potato beetle, flea beetle, corn ear worm, cabbage worm, horn worm and grasshopper, according to North Dakota State University. In most cases, 2 tablespoons of powder mixed with water is enough for the home garden. The carbaryl may not produce a noticeable effect until between one and 35 days, depending on the species you're trying to eliminate.

References

• University of Rhode Island Landscape Horticulture Program; Home Tree and Fruit Pest Management Guide; Heather H. Faubert et al; 2000
• Michigan State University Extension; Common Tree Fruit Insects; Mark Longstroth; 2009
• New Mexico State University; Fruit Tree Pest Control; 1998
• Colorado State University Extension; Bacillus Thuringiensis; 2010
• NDSU; Garden Insect Control Guide