LeVin
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Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2013 7:06 pm
Location: Zone 7a NJ

Confused regarding apple spraying practice

Hello, my question is regarding my newly planted apple trees.

This fall I've just bought and planted two varieties of apples, 1 Golden Delicious and 1 Arkansas Black in our front lawn. The issue is that I know from our flowering crabapple tree in our backyard that our neighborhood has cedar apple rust disease. From my research, the Arkansas appears to be fairly resistant to the disease, but the Golden Delicious appears to be vulnerable.

I've been looking at various products and spraying information regarding protection against the disease. However, I've been unable to find info on when to start spraying, as in, how old and developed should the tree be? Since I've just planted the tree, and hopefully the trees will leaf out next spring, should I hold off spraying until the tree develops enough to bloom? Or should I start protecting the trees pre-emptively? I have not been able to find a good answer to this question.

I would also like to ask whether there is a product recommended for my region with known cedar apple rust, and whether non-chemical and organic control methods are even feasible with a vulnerable variety. I hope to avoid spraying for insects unless I can detect damage from pests, and perhaps shy away from the 6 application of anti-fungal schedule recommended by the Rutgers Extension office.

Thank you very much for taking your time to read my questions, and I hope you have a pleasant day.

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applestar
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I don't think you'll have to worry about Arkansas Black. I have one also in an extremely cedar-apple rust prone area and it has not been affects at all, or very very little with no spraying except milk solution and occasional Actively Aerated Compost Tea (AACT).

I can't answer about golden deicious -- I prefer to buy disease resistant cultivars (I have Enterprise and Pristine which are also very resistant).

LeVin
Full Member
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2013 7:06 pm
Location: Zone 7a NJ

Yes, I thought I did plenty of research before making my purchase, but putting research into usable knowledge was bit over my head, so I hadn't recognized the apple cedar rust in time. I want to add more trees come spring, and will go for disease-resistant variety like the William's Pride I've been reading up on.

If you don't mind, could tell me more about the milk spray? I've come across your posts about milk solution spray during my searches in this forum and looked up papers and research on the topic as well. I want to avoid chemical sprays if I can and don't mind repeated applications throughout the growing periods. How often do you spray your apple trees with milk? And have you seen notable differences with the application? The research I found used 30~40% milk solution and failed to see benefit, so I'm wondering what the proper application would be.

JONA878
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Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:14 am
Location: SUSSEX

As Applestar says...the cider apple should not need spraying as a small amount of skin blemish would not affect it at all.
However the Golden Delicious is very prone to scab attack. So if you have warm wet weather during the summer months the fruit will be open to attack.
The problem with scab is that there is nothing....chemical or natural...that will kill the disease once the spores have geminated on the surface of the fruit. I say nothing......but I should say nothing that is cleared for consumption.
All sprays used against scab are protectants that stop the spores from geminating. So they have to be used regularly through the growing season whenever there is a Mills Period...this is the danger time as regards temperature and moisture that the spores need to germinate.
The most common spray that is acceptable for organic use is sulphur...dust or liquid formulations.



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