Is it too late for dormant oil on my apples?

wertach zone 7-B SC

10 years ago

I have been working a lot of overtime and didn't get around to spraying my apples and peaches.

I'm pretty sure it's too late on the peaches they are in full bloom. The apples are starting to put on leaves.

The apples get scab and bugs.

Is it too late or something else I can use?

PS, a freeze last night 24, if that makes a difference?

This post was edited by wertach on Wed, Mar 26, 14 at 14:41

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

campv 8b AZ
10 years ago
Spray the apples now you still got a chance that is a NG on the peaches can't spray in bloom.
alan haigh
10 years ago
Do not get your info only on the internet, read the label carefully- you don't want to spray green tissue within about 24 hours of a freeze- one side or the other, as I recall but I will be reading the label again to refresh my memory before I do any spraying.

I manage an orchard of old apple trees that lost a years crop and some trees lost some huge scaffold branches because some idiot sprayed green tissue when there was frozen dew on the ground. Thank God I wasn't the idiot...THAT TIME- it was an employee of a very well known tree care company.

If you are using horticultural oil and the label says it's good on green tissue then you are better off spraying at some point from half inch green to tight cluster for scale and mites. Aphids are apparently best to spray at green tip.

The only thing I spray for when trees are dormant is pear trees for pear blister mite.

There was another question about oil recently that covered a lot of the info on the subject if you search for it.
Related Professionals
Saint Louis Park Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Arlington Landscape Contractors · Bethlehem Landscape Contractors · Brentwood Landscape Contractors · Wakefield Landscape Contractors · Amesbury Landscape Contractors · Biloxi Landscape Contractors · Del Aire Landscape Contractors · Fuquay-Varina Landscape Contractors · La Mirada Landscape Contractors · Pahrump Landscape Contractors · Red Oak Landscape Contractors · Saint John Landscape Contractors · Sun City Center Landscape Contractors · Maple Heights Landscape Contractors
rayrose
10 years ago
I think you're a bit late and chalk it up to better scheduling next year.
alan haigh
10 years ago
Actually you can use oil in the mix at petal fall if there is any point- just don't put any Captan in the mix. I've controlled scale that was damaging apple trees with this timing because the customer only wanted to pay for two sprays and up here we can usually get sound apples with only two sprays of the right compounds.

If the flowers aren't showing too much pink it is not too late for a delayed dormant spray either at 1% of horticultural oil to water.
wertach zone 7-B SC
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks harvestman!

When I read your first post I slapped myself on the head and said, DUH!

The container instructions, which I'm bad about reading until I get ready to use, says it is OK to use now!

rayrose, Thanks for your reply, but the scheduling was out of my hands. I'm on call 24-7-365. I'm a maintenance electrician and the bad weather had me stuck at work, I never came home for 3 straight days during the snow storm.