I am seeing conflicting info on winterizing fruit trees. What are the best practices? I have had a peach tree for 5 years, and I normally just put extra mulch on it. It’s fine in the Spring. But this year I planted 10 more fruit trees. I saw 1 method of pulling fallen leaves from neighboring trees, and covering it with a tarp (MI Gardener on Youtube). But other sources said to remove all the leaves, except the native fruit’s leaves, because they may have leaf-borne diseases. This year, we did have a lot of bad bacteria, fire blight, and Fir-Pear black spot going around. Even the Peach tree got infected. What’s your method? What’s the best thing to do? Thanks!
Probably the best thing is to pick a variety (and a rootstock) that are definitely hardy in your location.
Then, do nothing else unless it be a thin layer of mulch (but not touching the stem of the tree)
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OK yes they’re all hardy in my zone, but this year we had a lot of bacteria, fire blight, and black spot.
Also should I spray them with fungicide at some point in the winter? Or will it just freeze?
I did spray Copper on Feb 22, but we were having a really wild warm month with constant rain. The trunks were starting to look green and blotchy after a week of the same. Im thinking copper better than sulfur d/t my bees. They looked much better afterwards.
Have you seen this guide?
Low-Impact Spray Schedule (2019 Edition).
Even if you do not follow Scott’s low impact spray approach, he has given a lot of valuable info about when to do what.
What fruit trees you are growing besides peach tree? Where are you located? This could help determined pest and disease pressure.
I am not a fan of mulching with fruit tree leaves. In my area, leaves of apples, peaches, plums cherry have diseases to some degrees. I rake them away from my trees as a sanitation practice.
If you want to protect ground around your trees, use mulch or wood chips instead.
A catch all treatment I do for my trees heading into winter is spraying it with mixture of copper hydroxide ( brand name Kocide 3000), dormant oil and a sticker (I use Nufilm17). This is done in Nov when trees lose their leaves. Temp during spray needs to be 40F or above since I have oil in the mix.
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Regina,
Nufilm 17 is one of many spreader and sticker products that help chemicals we spray stay on longer/better.
Nu-Film-17 (Gallon) – Grow Organic.
Scott suggested this brand to me a few years ago. There are other less expensive products that do the same job. If you have only a few trees, you could look into Bonide Turbo spreader/sticker. It comes in a small bottle and cost much less (but not cheaper by unit price)
I have about 45. Can you mention a few ways you use it? Prior to or along with the sprays? I use mainly neem and surround, although I sometimes use copper and other sprays.
Thanks for the info!
Do not use sticker with Surround. It will be very difficult to clean Surround off fruit sprayed with Surround plus sticker.
I put sticker in all other tank mix. Say, dormant spray of copper + dormant oli + sticker. In season spray of Spinosad + sticker or Neem + myclobutanil + sticker, etc.
Sticker should be the last ingredient you add to your mix. It helps chemicals you spray stick to trees’ surfaces better so it is not to be used by itself.
Nufilm 17 is needed for a very small amount 1/4 tsp per gallon of water. One jug of Nufilm will last you for many years.
I don’t know what fruit trees you have but Neem and Surround alone do not work with many pests and diseases I have.
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Thanks @mamuang, for all the great info. Sticker was new to me. Also since kaolin clays claim to fame seems to be getting on and into insects as a topical deterrent, staying put might defeat the purpose a bit.
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Thanks @mamuang & everyone.
What about all these plastic rodent-proof cages around the trunk or base?
I did have gummosis above the root on the Apricot, and I had to cut it out in April, but then it recovered. I don’t think plastic will help that.
Also should I paint white I/V Guard before it gets too cold, or is that better to put in the spring?