When should I spray dormant oil on my fruit trees?

Dormant oils should be applied in late March or early April before the plants show signs of breaking dormancy (before “bud break”). Dormant oils applied in February or early March are not effective as insects are not actively respiring at this time and, therefore, are not vulnerable to the oil’s suffocating effects.

How late can you spray dormant oil on trees?

Dormant oil can be applied at any time during a tree’s dormancy — from just after leaf drop in fall to just before bud break in late winter. If you use a combination spray that includes copper for diseases and oil for insects, the timing of application remains the same.

What trees do you spray with dormant oil?

Apples, crabapples, plums, quince, and pears all benefit from dormant oil, as do gooseberry and currant bushes. Other fruit-bearing trees and bushes don’t have any need for spraying of dormant oils, as they don’t often harbor the same pests, but it won’t hurt to do so if desired.

What month do you spray fruit trees?

Spray fruit trees with fungicide in early spring before flower buds open. Spraying fruit trees is a standard practice farmers and gardeners take to help control plant diseases and insect pests and also to provide needed nutrients.

How often do you spray neem oil on fruit trees?

every two weeks
Neem oil can protect your fruit trees and berry bushes. To keep your fruit trees and berry bushes insect free, spray your plants and trees early — before blossoming, then again when the petals drop, and every two weeks after to control these pests.

Is horticultural oil the same as dormant oil?

Historically, horticultural oils were called “dormant” oils because they were sprayed only when plants, particularly fruit and shade trees, were in a dormant stage of growth before buds opened in the spring.

What do you spray on fruit trees in the winter?

Superior oil, also called horticultural oil, is a highly refined miscible oil (up to 99.9 percent pure) that when mixed with water and sprayed on trees will smother overwintering insects and their eggs. It targets mites, aphids, leaf hoppers, mealy bugs, leaf miners and more.

When Should I spray my plum tree?

Spray every 10 days during fruit development. STOP spraying a week or so prior to harvesting. Your local extension office or a good nursery can help you further to create a schedule for spraying plum trees and offer advice on products and/or non-chemical options for controlling disease and pests on your plum tree.

Can I use neem oil as a dormant spray?

It can be used as a dormant-season application or a foliar spray. Since neem oil can kill insects at varying stages, you can use it as a dormant-season application to kill overwinter pests and eggs or as a foliar spray to repel and kill insects.

Does rain wash away neem oil?

Although rain won’t typically wash neem oil off plants–just like water from your tap won’t clean an oily pan–it’ll degrade neem oil, so you’ll likely need to reapply a day or two sooner than you would have otherwise done.