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Fruit & Orchards

Spraying first year peach tree?

11 years ago

Howdy folks,

A few days ago I planted my very first fruit tree -- a dwarf Saturn peach. It was bareroot and hasn't broken dormancy yet (still a bit cold here in NH).

My question: should I spray my newly planted tree this year? If so, with what preparation, and with what frequency?

I try to grow organically, so I imagine that means I'd need to use copper sulfate. Is there anything less toxic but similarly effective? I live on a residential street with lots of children and animals, so that's a consideration for me.

Thanks!

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Comments (8)

olpea
11 years ago
You can use your copper for leaf curl, but that's all its good for. It is somewhat effective against bacterial spot, but I doubt that will be an issue for you in NH.

Copper has a good degree of safety, so if you are worried about children and pets, it's about the best thing you can use for leaf curl.

Probably the only insect in NH you'll have to deal with is plum curculio, and brown rot the only disease. Those are problems for bearing age trees, so I wouldn't worry about them this season.

By the way, you mentioned your Saturn is a dwarf. Do you know what rootstock it's on?

This post was edited by olpea on Fri, Apr 19, 13 at 16:35
fireduck
11 years ago
G...dormant sprays are the single most important thing to do for peach trees. Keep in mind....since you have a dwarfing rootstock, you must water more often. There are no agressive roots to chase water great distances.
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Gloria: not to be a bummer but, your best defense going organic with CAR will be planting resistant trees from my experience. From what I've read, the sulfurs won't work very well against CAR, in addition they shouldn't be sprayed when the temps. get above 85-90F (I think) or they will burn the foliage. They can be washed off easily leading to freqent sprays which is O.K. if you have the time and the weather cooperates during the infection periods (wet weather). Between resistant trees and very diligent organic methods you might do fine, I don't know, but I heartily applaud your effort. Keep us informed. You will learn what does and doesn't work for you which is what it is all about. Oh yes, I have benefitted enormously from having a digital camera with macro capabilities. The plant pathology lab @ K-state accepts images for diagnostic purposes. Olpea: have you seen the link below? Probably applies better to your local than mine in the NC part of the state. It is for commercial growers but highly educational if one can comprehend it. I had to print the beast out and poured over it for hours referencing other materials in the process. Here is a link that might be useful: 2009 Midwest Tree Fruit and Spray Guide
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Yes, you will have the same pests this year that you did last year. It could be plum curculio if it's early that the peaches are dropping. Plum curc is easy to recognize with a bigger scar, and the grub is legless whereas the OFM grub has legs. Triazicide will treat both. Hard to say about the reddish sap on the trunk/branches, but it doesn't sound good. Cankers ooze that kind of sap and can be the death of the tree. Dormant copper sprays are generally recommended for preventing it. Re: On the height of the tree, I'd prune it down to a manageable height. Last year I was fed up with how tall some of my trees were getting, so I pruned them with a chain saw (seriously). I don't have time or inclination to fool with ladders. People will think that I shouldn't have let the trees get to such a state, and they may be right. A commercial peach grower near me prunes his peaches that way when they get out-of-hand, and has good results with it. The trees I pruned this way had good growth rest of the summer and filled back in some. I did notice some winter bark kill on some of the larger limbs that were pruned, but it doesn't look like it's anything that won't heal. Large pruning wounds can open up a peach tree to Lesser peach tree borer, so it would be important to keep your trees sprayed.
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yeah... I don't know why I said the word WILT... DOH! It's CURL. The leafe is all tortured looking and this year, the affected leaves up and died, then the tree started weeping... thought it was bugs, but someone said, no, that's the effect of really bad "peach leaf curl". So this year, I thought I'd do something about it. The fallen leaves are gone, so I can try the cornmeal... I have used non-fat milk with great results for mildew on roses, so I will definitely be willing to try that. I do happen to have some Neem, it just stinks so! :o) Thanks!
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lawanddisorder
11 years ago
Do non-dormant sprays harm peach trees? I have a peach tree that I've had for a full year now and the buds have begun to show flowers underneath some and green leafy material under others. Can I spray it with the Copper Sulfate now? Do I need to avoid the budding flowers or green leafy growth?

Thanks!
mrsg47
11 years ago
I think you'll have to spray for borers too. They are in Maine, NH and MA. I have them in RI. Mrs. G
galiana
Original Author
11 years ago
@fireduck What should I spray on the tree while it's dormant? I've read a lot of conflicting information, and have no rational basis on which to make a decision, so I appreciate advice from people who have done this before.

@MrsG47 What do you use to deter borers?
Lee.123
11 years ago
I personally don't spray much until the 3rd or 4th year when normal fruiting occurs. I alternate neem oil and spinosad every 10 to 14 days. Spray the ground as we'll around the drip line of the tree.
alan haigh
11 years ago
I'm in SE NY and plant a new 50 or so peach trees and nectarines every year. I only spray peaches ever to protect fruit and to protect the collar of the trees from borers. Most sites peach leaf curl shouldn't be an issue with Saturn. What is hard with that variety is battling brown rot and having to thin so much to get decent sized fruit.
mrsg47
11 years ago
I use a 'non-organic' pesticide called triazicide. You can purchase it in a small spray bottle, which would make your spraying quite accurate. Let it drip down the trunk of your tree. It will kill the borers and plum curculio if they are in your neighborhood. Since you only have one tree this should work.

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