On this page  ::  Apple  ::  Apricot  ::  Cherry  ::  Olive  ::  Peach and nectarine  ::  Pear  ::  Plum and Prune

Prepared by Paul Vossen, UCCE Farm Advisor, Sonoma & Marin Counties and Joseph Connell, UCCE Farm Advisor Emeritus, Butte County.

Apple

Winter, Dormant Season

Spray trees with dormant oil to control San Jose scale, aphid and mite eggs. Prune 15 to 20% of last year’s growth to let light penetrate to keep lower fruit wood alive. Remove diseased or broken limbs. Especially watch for and remove fire blight-affected limbs.

Spring, Bloom Season

Spray trees with a fungicide to control apple scab and powdery mildew at green tip stage, pink bud stage, and at 10-day intervals thereafter until rain stops. Thin apples by hand within 30 to 69 days after full bloom to about 1 apple per 6 inches of shoot growth. For mature trees, apply 2 lbs. urea. If organic manure or compost is used, apply 40 lbs. in late winter/early spring; spread and work into the soil surface around the tree. Once trees leaf out, begin irrigation 2 weeks after winter rain ends and fertilize prior to first irrigation.

Summer, Growing Season

Fertilize young trees monthly (through July), prior to irrigation. Use 8 oz. urea per tree. With drip irrigation, do not exceed 1 oz. urea/emitter per application. Spray (May 1 to Sept. 1) to control codling moth worms; time sprays to visual ID of new worm holes in fruit. Control aphids if damage exceeds 50% of leaves crinkled and aphids are present. Control mites if damage is severe. Drip-irrigate daily to meet tree needs; or sprinkler-irrigate once a week, applying 2 inches of water per irrigation.

Fall, Harvest Season

Continue irrigating until late October; fertilize mature trees lightly in September. At leaf fall, remove and destroy or compost leaves to prevent the spread of apple scab. Control weeds throughout the season with a mulch layer. Harvest from July to November, depending on variety and fruit taste.

Apricot

Winter, Dormant Season

Spray trees with dormant oil to control San Jose scale, aphid eggs, mite eggs, and peach twig borer. Do not use sulfur on apricots; combine fixed copper with dormant oil to reduce shot hole fungus. 

Spring, Bloom Season

Spray to control brown rot and shot hole fungus as blooms start to open. Sprays may be required at 10- to 14-day intervals if weather is rainy. Fertilize mature trees with 1 to 2 lbs. of urea and then water in. Thin fruits to about 4 to 6 inches apart when 1/2 to 5/8 inch in diameter. Paint trunks with 50-50 mix of white interior latex paint and water to prevent sunburn and borer infestation. Starting 2 weeks after winter rains end, drip-irrigate every other day to meet tree needs; or sprinkler-irrigate once a week, applying 1.5 inches of water per irrigation.

Summer, Growing Season

Continue irrigation schedule: drip-irrigate daily to meet tree needs; or sprinkler-irrigate once a week, applying 2 inches of water per irrigation. 
Once growth begins, fertilize young trees monthly (through August) at 4 oz. urea/month to encourage vigorous growth. 

Apricots mature early. Harvest in June–July when fruit begins to color and soften.

Fall, Harvest Season

Prune trees before onset of winter rains to prevent Eutypa fungus infection of pruning wounds. Remove about 20% of last year’s growth to let light into tree. Remove old, broken, or diseased branches. Spray trees during or after leaf fall but before onset of winter rains to control shot hole fungus. Do not use sulfur on apricots; use fixed copper. 

Cherry

Winter, Dormant Season

Spray with dormant oil to control San Jose scale if present. Prune to control height on mature trees, make thinning cuts to open center to let light in. Remove broken or diseased branches. Cherries may do better against bacterial canker (gummosis) if fixed copper is combined with the dormant oil spray.

Spring, Bloom Season

Apply fungicide to control brown rot at popcorn and full bloom stages. Fertilize mature trees with about 2 lbs. urea or 70 lbs. of manure. Fertilize just before a spring rain or follow the application with irrigation. Once trees leaf out, starting 2 weeks after winter rains end, drip-irrigate every other day to meet tree needs; or sprinkler-irrigate once a week, applying 1.5 inches of water per irrigation.

Summer, Growing Season

Irrigate to maintain good tree vigor through summer heat. Drip-irrigate daily to meet tree needs; or sprinkler-irrigate once a week, applying 2 inches of water per irrigation. 
Cherries mature early. Cover trees with netting to control bird damage to fruit. Harvest in June when fruit is soft and sweet. After harvest, fertilize mature trees with 2 lbs. urea and water in immediately.

Fall, Harvest Season

Drip-irrigate every other day to match daily use until winter rains take over. Sprinkler-irrigate every 1 to 2 weeks to wet soil in the root zone, but stop September 15th to prevent root rot. 

Olive

Winter, Dormant Season

Spray with fixed copper to prevent peacock spot and reduce olive knot, especially in wet years. For oil varieties apply immediately after harvest.

Spring, Bloom Season

Prune trees during bloom after spring rain ends. To reduce alternate bearing, remove more shoots from trees with heavy bloom and skip trees with light bloom. Fertilize mature trees with 2 lbs. of urea or 50 lbs. of compost. Starting after winter rains end, drip irrigate to meet tree needs, or sprinkler irrigate once a week applying 1.5 inches of water per irrigation. Be sure to prevent water stress during bloom.

Summer, Growing Season

Control weeds with mulch or cultivation, especially on young trees. Fertilize young trees with 1 oz. of urea under each drip emitter every month and irrigate in. If sprinkler irrigating young trees, fertilize with 1/2 lb. of urea just prior to irrigation twice during summer. Apply drip irrigation every day according to water use requirements. If sprinkler irrigating, apply 2 inches of water once a week.

Fall, Harvest Season

Harvest table olives when fruit is green, just prior to developing a straw yellow color. Harvest oil olives when fruit turns yellow to reddish purple on the outside, but flesh is still green/yellow. If weather is dry, continue irrigation until harvest; do not allow fruit to shrivel. Apply fixed copper to prevent peacock spot and reduce olive knot before first major fall rains. Wash copper off fruit prior to processing or apply after harvest.

Peach and Nectarine

Winter, Dormant Season

If present, spray trees with dormant oil to control San Jose scale. Spray fixed copper in late November and again in mid-January to prevent peach leaf curl fungus disease. Prune 50% of last year’s wood to thin the crop and insure good shoot growth and fruiting potential for future years. Remove older wood that fruited last year and save the new reddish-colored one-year-old shoots where bloom and fruiting will occur in the coming season.

Spring, Bloom Season

Apply fungicide during bloom to prevent brown rot, which may require 1 to 2 sprays, depending on weather. Rainy periods require additional spray. Fertilize young trees monthly beginning March 1st. Use 0.5 lb. urea or 25 lbs. manure/tree per application. If drip irrigating, use 1 oz. of material applied under emitters every month. Do not exceed 1 oz. urea/emitter per month. Apply 1 lb. of urea to mature trees in late March. Water fertilizer in. Thin fruits to about 6 inches apart when marble-sized. Thinning reduces number of fruit, improves size and quality, and prevents limb breakage. Begin irrigation 2 weeks after spring rain ends.

Summer, Growing Season

Continue to fertilize young trees monthly (through August) at spring rates. Do not exceed 1 oz. urea/emitter/month. Apply 1 lb. of urea to mature trees in late June. Water fertilizer in. Drip-irrigate daily to meet tree needs; or sprinkler-irrigate once a week, applying 2 inches of water per irrigation. Maintain a weed-free area around trees within 3 feet of the trunk. When mulching 3 to 4 inches deep, keep mulch 6 inches away from tree trunks. Harvest as fruits color and soften but before they drop.

Fall, Harvest Season

Spray fixed copper in late November to reduce shot hole fungus and to prevent peach leaf curl fungus disease. Continue to irrigate until fall rain begins, but reduce frequency and duration. Remove fruit mummies from the tree to reduce brown rot fungus disease.

Pear

Winter, Dormant Season

Spray trees with dormant oil to control San Jose scale, aphid eggs, mite eggs, and overwintering adult pear psylla. Prune 20% of last year’s growth to let light in, and thin out excessively vigorous water sprouts. Remove diseased (fire blighted) and broken limbs.

Spring, Bloom Season

Spray trees with a fungicide to control pear scab at the green tip bloom stage, full bloom, and at 10-day intervals until rain stops. Thin pears to 6 inches apart if the crop is heavy. Fertilize prior to first irrigation. Apply 1.5 lbs. urea or 40 lbs. manure. Once trees leaf out, begin irrigating 2 weeks after spring rain ends.

Summer, Growing Season

Fertilize young trees monthly (through July), applying 8 oz. urea/tree prior to irrigation. Drip irrigation should not exceed 1 oz. urea/emitter per application. Time monthly codling moth sprays (May 1–Aug. 1) when first worm holes appear in fruit. Control aphids when present and damage exceeds 50% of leaves crinkled. Drip-irrigate daily; or sprinkler-irrigate 2 inches every week.

Fall, Harvest Season

Harvest by flavor and as fruits color and soften. Right after harvest, fertilize, and then continue to irrigate mature trees until rains begin. Clean up fallen fruit to reduce codling moth. At leaf fall, remove and destroy or compost leaves to prevent the spread of apple scab.

Plum and Prune

Winter, Dormant Season

Spray trees with dormant oil to control San Jose scale, aphid eggs, and mite eggs. Prune 20% of last year’s growth to let light in by thinning out excessively vigorous water sprouts. Remove diseased or broken limbs.

Spring, Bloom Season

Spray trees with a fungicide to control brown rot as blossoms appear; 2 to 3 sprays may be needed if weather is rainy, cloudy. Fertilize mature trees with 1 to 2 lbs. urea or 20 to 40 lbs. manure/tree just prior to irrigation. Use lower rates for vigorous trees. Thin fruit to about 4 to 6 inches apart. If larger fruit is desired, leave fewer fruit. Control aphids if present and more than 50% of leaves are curled (severe damage). Starting 2 weeks after winter rains end, drip-irrigate every other day to meet tree needs; or sprinkler-irrigate once a week, applying 1.5 inches of water per irrigation.

Summer, Growing Season

Fertilize young trees monthly (through August). Use 4 oz. urea or 10 lbs. manure per application. Water in. Do not exceed 1 oz. urea/emitter per application. Drip-irrigate daily; or sprinkler-irrigate once a week, applying 2 inches of water per irrigation. Use mulch to maintain a weed-free area within 3 feet of the tree. Harvest when flavor is sweet, and fruits color and begin to soften.

Fall, Harvest Season

Fertilize mature trees just after harvest with 1 to 2 lbs. urea or 20 to 40 lbs. manure/tree. Continue to irrigate until fall rain begins, but reduce frequency and duration.