Read the labels.
Insecticide like Imidan says “Not for Use in residential areas.”. Actara has restricted use in NY state.
Others have labels to use for agricultural purposes only, etc.
It is possible to get clean fruit. I developed a spray program mostly from help on this site. The key is to catch them early. Now that your orchard is saturated with larva, it’s going to be tougher but not impossible. Here is my spray log for 2018. I was consistent that year and my best example.
2018 03 17 Sprayed Kocide copper 2tbsp/gallon with Nu Film 17 sticker.
2018 04 22 Plant Guard (4tbs) can be used every 14 days 4 sprays left (Nu Film is used in all applications)
2018 05 18 Infuse (2tbs) 3 sprays left, and Fruit Tree Spray (2.5 tbs) 21 days 2 sprays left
2018 05 24 first PC strikes (plum curculio beetle)
2018 05 24 Ortho Flower, fruit, and vegetable (3 tbs) extra for trees because of bad PC. need to find something else.
2018 05 29 Plant Guard (4tbs) can be used every 14 days 3 sprays left
2018 06 06 Fruit Tree Spray (2.5 tbs) 21 days 1 spray left.
2018 06 14 Infuse (2tbs) 2 sprays left, Ortho Flower, fruit, and vegetable (3 tbs)
2018 06 28 Plant Guard (4tbs) can be used every 14 days 2 sprays left
2018 07 15 Infuse (2tbs) 1 spray left, Ortho Flower, fruit, and vegetable (3 tbs)
For dormant protection
2018 11 23 Lime-sulfur with oil **
Apply 4 fl. oz. lime-sulfur plus 1 1/4 fl
** . oz. dormant spray oil per gallon of water.
By the middle of July I had no reason to spray but one can go to label limits to be safe.
Just yesterday someone sent me a very nice PM telling me for the first time they got clean fruit from this program. For insects one can substitute what works for them. Like now instead of Ortho Fruit and Flower, I use “Eight” now.
It’s best to use acidic water for these products as it can extend their half-life hundreds of times. For example if you use malathion for PC it works well, But in 7.0 pH tap water or higher the half life is 30 minutes. In 5.0 acidic water the half-life is 30 hours. Add vinegar or use rainwater. I use rainwater. Always add water first then vinegar.
Hopefully you will one day get to harvest
3 Likes
Nice looking fruit.
1 Like