Q: I have a quick question about the apple, crabapple and pear trees that I planted last year. They did well through the summer and have grown by leaps and bounds. Now that it is almost a year later, what do I need to be doing as far as care? Do I need to spray, fertilize, prune, etc.? Is there some type of calendar I can get to keep me on schedule?

A: There are lots of things you can do to keep fruit trees healthy. Being proactive about it is your first good step! February is a good time to thoroughly spray trees with horticultural oil. This will suffocate insects over-wintering in bark cracks. When the trees bloom, spray with a garden fungicide. Consider spraying with Green Guard (www.gardensalive.com) when they leaf out. This new product strengthens a fruit tree’s natural ability to ward off disease and insects.

To prevent overwintering diseases, rake and remove all dropped leaves in December.

see

Complete Fruit Spray Guide

Care Factsheets for all Fruits

apples