Stone fruit trees like apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach, plum, and prune are a staple of many backyard gardens and landscapes. Unfortunately, there are a variety of pests that can weaken trees and spoil fruit. Caring for trees correctly and monitoring for pests can help ensure a harvest of healthy, delicious fruit. Watch out for some of these pests and diseases:
Apricot trees need to be pruned in summer instead of fall to avoid a disease called Eutypa dieback. It causes limbs and twigs to wilt suddenly and die.
Brown Rot
Monitor for this disease by checking for damaged fruit on your tree, as well as fruit in storage. Sometimes affected fruit develops a pungent odor and can ruin fruit held in storage. See the UC IPM web page on Brown Rot to learn more.
Citrus Leafminer
If you see what look like small “tunnels” on your citrus...