JaG, unless dormant oils are combined with other products - sulphur or copper/lime solutions are common - they DO NOT address disease issues. The link you provided contradicts what you are saying ;) It plainly says horticultural oils have been found effective against some fungal pathogens. It also didn't address dormant oils, just horticultural oils (unless my skim reading missed it). Applying a dormant oil is different than using a lighter weight oil during the growing season. The purpose of a dormant oil is that it is heavier and denies oxygen entry through itself. Anything overwintering on/in the tree that requires oxygen will likely die. Such an application can't be made during the growing season without major damage to the tree because the tree needs oxygen during the growing season, but can survive for awhile without it when fully dormant. The article did address the use of horticultural oils on dormant trees very briefly in that it mentioned it can delay bud break/blooming. This would be very desirable in areas where the springs can go from warm to sub freezing overnight. It's not relevant to the OP, but it does point to the value of using dormant oil sprays as part of a routine program rather than waiting to ID a specific pathogen. Every source I have ever read finds dormant oils applied during the dormant stage to be effective against many insects, their eggs, larvae as well as many fungal pathogens overwintering even as spores in the bark/buds. I don't really see a down side to routine applications during the dormant season. The link you provided didn't address any.

Hi Tyga, quite normal if they are of a two crop variety. These usually bear fruits twice a year: the first flush in early summer from buds or even small fruits borne late in previous summer and gone dormant. The second flush from buds on new growth (usually these latter are the best) Ciao Luigi

Where are you located? Have you noticed any problem your trees have? If you live in drier climate, you may not have as many issues as those growing fruit in hot, humid climate. peach and apple do not always have the same problems.

I'm no expert, but I had a somewhat similar experience. I'm in coastal CA and had to move a year old plum from my front yard to the back. I moved it in the middle of dormancy, which was suggested to me on the internet by a few sources. I think the biggest problem is I had to cut quite a few roots to get it out. It definitely didn't seem too happy the Spring after, but it survived. It is in a warmer spot that gets less chill I'm sure, so that might have had something to do with it. Another weird thing is it is the only tree that isn't dormant yet this Winter (or at least it looks that way, it still has lots of green leaves on it...all of my other trees are totally bare).