Fruit tree spraying (fence, gardens, oil)

[Maineah]

The blossoms are almost all gone from my apple trees and it's time for me to start spraying for the myriad of pests that love the little forming apples.
I have always used a pesticide/fungicide combination which does a pretty good job but I worry about drift affecting non target bugs,spiders, butterflies, and bees. What do you use on your apple trees and how successful have you been in keeping the bugs away?

[Submariner]

Do you use a dormant oil spray in the fall?

Have you tried garlic / ACV for the fungus?

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Do you use a dormant oil spray in the fall?

Have you tried garlic / ACV for the fungus?

I have some anti fungal garlic but It was not for the trees. I'll try it. The stuff I use now supposedly goes inert after a few days but I don't know if I trust it?

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Maineah

I have some anti fungal garlic but It was not for the trees. I'll try it. The stuff I use now supposedly goes inert after a few days but I don't know if I trust it?

I am not aware of any garlic that is not 'antifungal'.

Copper works well too. I don't know what copper solutions you can get, once they start listing big 50 cent words I don't trust them.

Do you need to deal with fungus every year?

I might try making a copper ion solution in January and having it ready to go come spring each year. A couple copper wires dropped into a 5-gallon bucket of salt water, and connected to a 9v battery should do the trick.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

I am not aware of any garlic that is not 'antifungal'.

Copper works well too. I don't know what copper solutions you can get, once they start listing big 50 cent words I don't trust them.

Do you need to deal with fungus every year?

I might try making a copper ion solution in January and having it ready to go come spring each year. A couple copper wires dropped into a 5-gallon bucket of salt water, and connected to a 9v battery should do the trick.

I get this fungas "blight" I'm not sure of the name of it right off hand bit I get little black blotches on the leaves and some fruit. It isn't terrible but sometimes it is heavy enough to cause problems with the nourishment of the tree due to lowered photosynthesis. I have a plating system I could make the copper solution from quite easily ....thanks forest!

[Submariner]

You are welcome.

Oil sprays are meant to control pests whose larva over-winter, and if a copper solution can control the fungi; do you have other pests?

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

You are welcome.

Oil sprays are meant to control pests whose larva over-winter, and if a copper solution can control the fungi; do you have other pests?

Yes Deer!!!

[Submariner]

I have loading pallets erected in a 'pen' around each tree.

I am waiting to see if I need to add a hot wire or ribbon around the top of those pens.

I have electric netting fence around our gardens, and around our goat pen.

And I use hot tape or ribbon, the flat braided poly with little wires woven in it, to go around our chicken tractor. It helps to remind the goats that I do not like them pestering our chickens; and that chicken feed is for chickens; and that I do not like goats on top of the chicken enclosures. It also helps to keep my blood pressure down, and it likely serves to lengthen the life span of our goats [as otherwise I would be shooting goats more often].

When they begin investigating our apple trees, I intend to run hot ribbon along the top of the pallet pens encircling our trees.

I would suggest that you consider doing the same.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

I have loading pallets erected in a 'pen' around each tree.

I am waiting to see if I need to add a hot wire or ribbon around the top of those pens.

I have electric netting fence around our gardens, and around our goat pen.

And I use hot tape or ribbon, the flat braided poly with little wires woven in it, to go around our chicken tractor. It helps to remind the goats that I do not like them pestering our chickens; and that chicken feed is for chickens; and that I do not like goats on top of the chicken enclosures. It also helps to keep my blood pressure down, and it likely serves to lengthen the life span of our goats [as otherwise I would be shooting goats more often].

When they begin investigating our apple trees, I intend to run hot ribbon along the top of the pallet pens encircling our trees.

I would suggest that you consider doing the same.

Sounds like a good idea forest, Thanks!

[Submariner]

You are welcome.

May god bless you and keep you.