2. Grant Jones City of Bowling Green
Caring for Fruit Trees
Grant Jones
City of Bowling Green

3. Outline
Pruning
Fertilizing
Pest Management
Thinning Fruit

4. Collar Strong union without a bark inclusion
Strong unions are typically U shaped and have no bark inclusion. The branch on the right appears well secured to the tree and does not need treatment of any kind.
Collar 4

5. Branch Attachment
Image from Up by the Roots

6. Included Bark

7. Good Branch Attachment

8. Proper Finishing Cuts

9. Closure of Pruning Cuts

10. Improper Cut

11. Types of Pruning Cuts Thinning cut Heading back
Remove branch back to a lateral
Preferred cut in many cases
Heading back
Cutting back of current growth or one year growth
In shrubs technique may result in a lot of stem tissue and few leaves

12. Proper Heading Cut

13. Dense vs. Open Growth

14. Training Young Trees Peach Plum Apricot Cherry Cherry Apples Pears
Source: Midwest Home Fruit Production Guide

15. Training Apple and Pear – Year 1
Select 3-4 scaffolds
Space branches
Remove shoots below first scaffold in 1-2 years
Spread branches out at a degree angle once they are 6 inches long
Use clothespins for 1 growing season
Remove limbs with narrow crotches (45 degrees or less)

16. Spacing Branches Source: New Mexico State Extension
Spread branches out at a degree angle once they are 6 inches long
Use clothespins for 1 growing season
Remove limbs with narrow crotches (45 degrees or less)
Source: New Mexico State Extension

17. Training - Years 2-5 Space branches for first 5 years
Remove unwanted shoots/branches along central leader
Eventually cut leader back to 2 year old wood for pyramidal shape

18. Training – Open Vase Select 3-4 scaffold branches
Heading cut to central leader just after selected scaffolds
Heading cut to outward lateral bud

19. Mature Trees Prune in late winter/early spring Balance dose with vigor
Maintain form
Remove upward and downward growing branches
Allow light penetration/airflow

20. Overgrown Fruit Trees
Source: Ravenskill Orchard

21. Questions to ask:
Source: Ravenskill Orchard

22. Questions to ask: 1) Do you enjoy fruit trees
Source: Ravenskill Orchard

23. Questions to ask: 1) Do you enjoy fruit trees 2) Does the fruit taste good
Source: Ravenskill Orchard

24. Questions to ask: 1) Do you enjoy fruit trees 2) Does the fruit taste good 3) Are the trees in good shape
Source: Ravenskill Orchard

25. Neglected Trees
Step 1 – Remove dead and diseased branches

26. Neglected Trees Step 1 – Remove dead and diseased branches
Step 2 – Remove crossing and rubbing branches

27. Neglected Trees Step 1 – Remove dead and diseased branches
Step 2 – Remove crossing and rubbing branches
Step 3 – If reducing height significantly, spread it out over several years.

28. Fertilizer Soil test first Don’t over apply N Pears/Apples
Pruning/vigor
Pears/Apples
Annually, Only N when mature, overapplying N promotes fireblight
Cherry/Peach
Not needed if inches of new growth

29. Growing Degree Days

30. GDDS for Fruit Pests

31. Fireblight

32. Fireblight

33. Fireblight Management:
Streptomycin, Oxytetracyclin, and copper-based fungicide may provide some protection
Sterile prune at least 8-12 below dieback

34. Apple Scab Mainly on apple
Brownish, scabby spots on leaves, premature yellowing and leaf drop
Remove leaf litter; preventative fungicides can help

35. Apple Scab

36. Apple Scab Control Fungicide spray program – every 7 days
Products include: Sulfur, Captan
Good Sanitation
Resistant cultivars

37. Dormant Oil 1-1.5%

38. Identification and Life History

39. Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

40. Codling Moth

41. Codling Moth Generations 2-3
Monitor using Growing Degree Days (GDD) and pheromone traps
Collect five moths in pheromone trap. Wait 250 GDD and apply a spray treatment
Keep monitoring and apply a second spray treatment 250 GDD after five moths are caught again within a week

42. Pheromone Traps
Hang pheromone traps in SE side of tree 6 feet off the ground

43. Other Options ½ cup molasses 2.5 cups warm water
½ tsp dried bakers yeast
Makes enough for 3 ½ gallon milk jugs
Hang from May-Aug
Refill if needed

44. Brown Rot Susceptibility: Sweet Cherries > sour cherries
Nectarines > peaches
Apricots are highly susceptible

45. Brown Rot Management: Remove infested fruit or mummies
Fungicide sprays
2 at bloom and 2-3 sprays before harvest

46. Cherry Leaf Spot Survives on leaf debris – good sanitation
Fungicides sprays beginning two weeks after bloom
Rotate between myclobutanil and captan at recommended label rates
Copper provides some protection

47. Peach Leaf Curl

48. Peach Leaf Curl Host: Peach
Leaves pucker and curl. Bulges turn from green to yellow to red. White bloom develops on upper leaf surface.
Overwinters on bud scales
Copper-based fungicide prior to bud swell. Applications after budbreak are ineffective
Photos from Len Burkhart

49. Peachtree Borer

50. Peachtree Borer
Most critical during the first 3-5 years after planting
Treat bark with protectant to kill eggs when then hatch
Treat at peak emergence using pheromone traps and again six weeks later

51. Pesticide Basics Softer Products Spinosad Horticultural/Dormant Oil
Insecticidal Soap
Neem
Pyrethrin
Sulfur/Lime

52. Pesticide Basics – Softer Pesticides
Active Ingredient
Controls
Spinosad
Caterpillars
Sulfur
Fungus
Copper
Dormant/Horticultural Oil
Many insects
Neem Oil
Kaolin Klay
Insects

53. Preharvest Interval

54. Fruit Thinning Heavy fruit set reduces quality Peaches Apples
¾ in size, 4-6 inches between in peaches, 2-3 inches pear
Apples
Space every 6 inches
Thin early

55. Fruit Thinning

56. References
Midwest Home Fruit Production Guide: Cultural Practices and Pest Management Midwest Tree Fruit Pest Management Handbook

57. Grant Jones 419.353.4101 gjones@bgohio.org