spraying apple trees -- any info?

[frankenchick]

I want to try to get the old apple trees in the side yard to produce this summer. I need to do something about the bugs, but don't want to hurt our chickens or our bees.

Anyone know of a good site for dealing with bugs organically and safely? Is that too much to hope for?

 

[MissPrissy]

Check with your local orchard supply or nursery that deals in fruit trees. They will have many ideas for you. you can also contact the extention office for your county. You pay their salary by your taxes. Make them work a little for you.

We have a very old orchard and have been getting the trees back in shape. Some people told us we needed to replace the trees they were so old there would be no fruit. We have gotten good fruit.

We just lost the 100 yr old apple tree to an ice storm this week. We lost an 80 yr old damson to lightening summer before last. Both were very sad days.

 

[Rosalind]

Where are you and what kind of bugs? It makes a difference if it's freezing at night, what type of bugs you have, etc.

For not-terrible infestations of aphids and that type of thing: Dormant oil in late winter and again in autumn.

For curculio beetles, codling moths, wormy things that make holes in apples: Kaolin, you mix it with water and spray it to coat the apples, then wash 'em before you eat 'em. Also sticky red ball traps.

For blight: One gentle spray of Bordeaux mixture. Which you will probably never have to spray again, because it builds up in the soil and doesn't wash away. Use sparingly.

 

[s6bee]

I'm not sure where you are but this is the time of year you start to prune. Make sure you know what you are doing, but this will help with springing the tree back to life! My parents did all the spraying so I can't help with that, sorry.

Have fun, I grew up on an old gentlemans farm that had 100 apple trees, the memories will last me a lifetime. I wish I could give that kind of life to my kids. It's so worth the work!

 

[bigzio]

Glad you are aware of the bees and spraying. Pruning the tree would be a big plus for the harvest. Growing great apples can really be a challenge, and not something I can constantly do right. Sometimes they can be perfect and other years you wonder what's up!
None ever go to waste, using them for the chickens or feeding wild deer, apple pies, or just crunching...I have 7 trees and plan for more this spring. Goood luck...and nothing but the best.

bigzio

 

[frankenchick]

Thanks, all!

Say, Bigzio, what kind of apples do you have? I want to expand the plantings using heirloom apples, especially the ones listed on the Ark of Taste.

 

[bigzio]

frankenchick, While I don't know where you live, here in the Badger state being growing zone 4 we are limited to what we can grow.That is really important to succsess with apples. I wasen't familiar with the Ark of Taste until I checked it out. I will check it out some more.

I wonder if some local names for apples are different for the same tree?

My present orchard is standard trees with the possible addition of some dwarfs and more standards. I presently have Fireside, Red Delicious, Macintosh, Dutchess, of known varieties. I also have 3 wild trees that have nice apples. One being a nice yellow apple that ripens in mid August, one red apple with red veins that run through the fruit that ripens in Sept. One crab type apple that ripens in Oct.

It seems like the trees on the outside of the orchard take the brunt of pest attacks. I allow that to happen and then avoid spraying for pests. It works for me to lose some apples to pests and avoid any spraying.

bigzio