All of a sudden it's warm! How does that happen. The snow and ice are suddenly gone. Time to spray my fruit trees. I use horticultural oil. The info sheet from UNH Cooperative Extention is great.
Pears, Two applications to control psylla, mites and scale. First, spray at swollen bud stage, on 3rd or 4th warm spring day, use 3% oil. Spray again between green cluster and white bud stage.
Apples, Spray once between tight cluster and pre-pink stage. (Use two applications if you've had previous trouble.)
Cherry, One application at swollen bud stage.
Blueberries, One application, apply before buds open, use 2-3% oil.
Today my two espaliered pear trees were at swollen bud stage so I sprayed then. It was a beautiful first day in my community garden plot.
I sprayed my pears April 13. Then it rained the next day. I don't know if that oil will stay on in the rain or if maybe it was on long enough to do its job. The pears get a second spay in a week or so. I've never sprayed them twice before, so I suppose the rained off on is OK.
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