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Show Spray fruit trees now Fruit tree growers can gain the upper hand against pests if they apply dormant and prebloom oil sprays to their trees. The sprays can be applied at various intervals before the trees bloom, from when the tree is fully dormant to certain stages of bud development, de-velopment, said Diane Alston, Utah State University Extension entomologist. en-tomologist. However, Alston cautioned fruit tree growers to spray at the right time to obtain the best control and to avoid spray injury and pollinator poisoning. She said a supervisor-type oil, alone or with an insecticide added, provides early control of numerous pests, including scale insects, spider mite eggs, blister and rust mites, pear psylla, aphid eggs, leafroller eggs, climbing cutworms, twig borers and other overwintering lar-I lar-I vae and pupae on trees. I Oil is usually applied at a rate of I 1.5 to 2 gallons per 100 gallons of I water (4-6 gallons per acre). 1 In orchards will severe popula- I tions of scale insects, aphid eggs, I mite eggs, twig borers and others, I Alston advised using an oil spray I with a recommended I organophosphate insecticide. I Organophosphates such as I parathion, malathion, diazinon, I guthion and lorsban are commonly I added to dormant oil sprays. I Alston said the best control I results when trees are sprayed be-I be-I tween the bud-cracking and pink-I pink-I red stages. I "Do not apply these mixtures I when the tree is in bloom, because I I they are deadly to bees," she said. I I Alston said that to control pear I I psylla, growers should apply the oil I I at a rate of 1 to 1.5 gallons per 100 I I gallons of water plus Pydrin (4 I I ounces per 100 gallons) or Pounce I I (3 ounces per 100 gallons) as a true I I dormant spray before any bud- I cracking has occurred. |