
Dormant Spray for Fruit Trees
- When should you use dormant oil spray?
- In the winter, after your fruit trees have gone through their coldest time of year and are beginning to enter dormancy again – this is when you can start spraying them with dormant oil.
- What does dormant oil spray do?
When is the best time to apply Dormant oil to fruit trees?
In late winter, your fruit trees may be dormant but your chores in the yard aren’t. Late winter and early spring, when the temperatures are barely above freezing, is the time to apply the best preventative for scale and mites: dormant oil.
What is the best time of year to spray fruit trees?
The best time to spray fruit trees with a preventative dormant oil is in late winter or early spring. This effort helps to protect trees from overwintering pests, larvae and eggs, which improves success with controlling pests during the growing season. Tips: Shake well before adding dormant oil to desired water amount.
What is a dormant oil spray for fruit trees?
Dormant oil sprays are used on fruit trees before the buds begin to swell and suffocate insects and their eggs nesting in branches. Using dormant oil on fruit trees doesn’t completely eliminate the problem with these pests, but it is the best way to cut off most of the population, leaving a simpler problem later in the season. What is dormant oil?
When should I apply Dormant oil spray?
When applied properly, the thin film of oil plugs the spiracles or pores through which the mite or insect breathes. Proper timing is critical when using dormant oil sprays. Dormant oils should be applied in late March or early April before the plants show signs of breaking dormancy...

When should you apply dormant oil?
Apply in early morning or late afternoon, and avoid spraying on days that temperatures above 90 degrees are expected. The ideal temperature range for application is between 40 and 70 degrees, with the day of application expected to stay above 50 for at least 24 hours.
When should you spray dormant fruit trees?
The best time to spray fruit trees with a preventative dormant oil is in late winter or early spring. This effort helps to protect trees from overwintering pests, larvae and eggs, which improves success with controlling pests during the growing season.
What temperature should I spray dormant oil?
Dormant oil may be applied when the temperature is at least 40 degrees and there is no chance of freezing within 24 hours.
How do you use dormant oil spray on fruit trees?
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What trees should be sprayed with dormant oil?
Apples, crabapples, plums, quince, and pears all benefit from dormant oil, as do gooseberry and currant bushes. Other fruit-bearing trees and bushes don't have any need for spraying of dormant oils, as they don't often harbor the same pests, but it won't hurt to do so if desired.
When Should I spray my horticultural oil?
Horticultural oils control pests by suffocating them. If an insect is on the plant you spray, it'll get covered and die. You can avoid harming beneficial insects by spraying early in the morning or late in the evening when the pollinators aren't out.
What temperature should I spray my horticultural oil?
If sprays are needed during summer, applications can be made in the cooler morning or evening hours. In cool weather, make sure temperatures during application are 50-60° F or above for several consecutive days (with nightly lows above freezing) to avoid phytotoxicity and so the oil maintains the proper viscosity.
Can you spray dormant oil before it rains?
Do not spray when temperatures are below 40° F, or when there is a threat of frost for the next 36 hours. The oil works immediately, so a rain within 24 hours will not affect efficacy. When applied properly, there is little risk of plant damage.
What do you spray on fruit trees in the winter?
0:396:47How to Spray Fruit Trees in the Winter ❄️// Garden Answer - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOil and the good thing about dormant oil applications is that it envelops.MoreOil and the good thing about dormant oil applications is that it envelops.
How much water do you mix with dormant oil?
DORMANT: Use 4 – 5 tbsp. of oil per 1 gal. of water. Apply before buds begin to swell in the spring.
When Should I spray my fruit trees with copper?
* Copper Fungicide sprays should be applied 24 hours before oil treatments, early in the day without wind and 24 hours before expected rain. Be certain to apply before buds break—never after.
How often should I spray my fruit trees?
Use general purpose fruit tree spray at 1- to 2-week intervals following key plant development observations. Apply the spray first at green tip, followed by pre-bloom, full pink, petal fall, first cover (1 week after petal fall), and second cover (2 weeks after petal fall).
What do you spray on fruit trees in the winter?
Spray sulfur mixed with Superior or horticultural oil in early January. Then use copper or sulfur in mid-to late February. If you used copper in fall, use sulfur in February or vice versa. Don't combine copper and sulfur in the same tank to minimize the risk of damage to tree bark.
What temperature should you spray fruit trees?
Unless pest populations spike, it is not necessary to spray dormant oil every year. Every 3 to 5 years is typical. Complete dormant spraying before buds begin to swell. Apply dormant spray only when the temperature is above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Is it too late to spray fruit trees?
If sprays are applied too late, the pests enter and eat inside the fruit where they are protected from sprays. If applied too early, the spray will dissipate and be ineffective when the insects attack. So if you have an apple, pear, or cherry tree, be ready to spray your trees within the next few weeks.
When and how often do you spray fruit trees?
Timing is critical, with a first spray about two weeks after most petals have fallen from the tree's blossoms, followed by a second spray one or two weeks later. Repeat this treatment in late July or early August or whenever you notice new larval holes appearing on the fruit.
When to apply dormant oil to fruit trees?
In late winter, your fruit trees may be dormant but your chores in the yard aren’t. Late winter and early spring, when the temperatures are barely above freezing, is the time to apply the best preventative for scale and mites: dormant oil.
What fruit trees need dormant oil?
Once the oil solution is sprayed on all the branches of a fruit tree or bush, it penetrates into the surface of the insect’s hard outer shell and suffocates it by not allowing any oxygen to get through. Apples, crabapples, plums, quince, and pears all benefit from dormant oil, as do gooseberry and currant bushes.
What is dormant oil spray?
Dormant oil sprays are used on fruit trees before the buds begin to swell and suffocate insects and their eggs nesting in branches. Using dormant oil on fruit trees doesn’t completely eliminate the problem with these pests, but it is the best way to cut off most of the population, leaving a simpler problem later in the season.
How to determine when to use dormant oil?
To determine when to use dormant oil, look to your own weather. The date changes every year, but the conditions must be the same. Spray early enough so that the buds on the trees haven’t yet begun to swell. Wait until the daily temperature is at least 40 degrees F. (4 C.), and will stay that way for at least 24 hours. Finally, choose a 24-hour period when no rain or high winds are predicted.
Can you use dormant oil on marigolds?
Cover any annual flowers you may have near the tree when using dormant oil. While the weather is generally too cold yet for annual transplanting, if you are hardening off marigolds, snapdragons, and other flowers, remove them from the area, as dormant oil will kill them off with no chance of revival.
Do pears need dormant oil?
Apples, crabapples, plums, quince, and pears all benefit from dormant oil, as do gooseberry and currant bushes. Other fruit-bearing trees and bushes don’t have any need for spraying of dormant oil s, as they don’t often harbor the same pests, but it won’t hurt to do so if desired.
When to apply dormant oil?
Dormant oils should be applied in late March or early April before the plants show signs of breaking dormancy (before “bud break”). Dormant oils applied in February or early March are not effective as insects are not actively respiring at this time and, therefore, are not vulnerable to the oil’s suffocating effects.
What is dormant oil spray?
Dormant oil sprays are highly refined petroleum products that are mixed with water and applied to trees and shrubs to control aphids, spider mites, and scale. Dormant oils destroy pests by suffocating them. When applied properly, the thin film of oil plugs the spiracles or pores through which the mite or insect breathes.
Can you spray dormant oil on fruit trees?
Dormant oil sprays on fruit trees provide little benefit to most backyard gardeners. Dormant oil sprays do not control the major home orchard pest, the apple maggot, and the pests that are controlled by dormant oil sprays are seldom significant. Category:
When to use dormant spray?
Dormant sprays must be used before the trees experience any spring growth. In California, this is usually between December and January. Delayed-dormant sprays are designed for use just after the buds begin to swell, but before the trees leaf out or flower. This usually occurs in late February to early March. Dormant oils must never be used when the tree is in flower, since they can be deadly to pollinators.
What is a dormant oil?
Dormant Oils and Sprays. Dormant and delayed-dormant sprays are pesticides applied before the tree exits the winter dormant period. They help destroy insect eggs, over-wintering adults and hatching larvae. They can also kill fungal infestations that could spread in warmer weather.
How hot should it be to spray a sandpaper?
Wait until good weather before you apply dormant sprays. Ideally, the temperature should be between 40 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not apply a dormant spray during rain or fog or when the weather is expected to be extremely hot or cold within a few days.
Can you spray peaches on a tree?
Because these treatments can damage trees during the growing season , it's extremely important to limit spray application to the right season and apply only during favorable weather.
Can you spray after pruning?
Dormant sprays are best applied shortly after pruning, since there are few to no leaves to block an even application. These treatments are especially effective against scale insects, mites, aphids, leaf curl and shot hole. They do not affect Oriental fruit moths and some types of spider mites. Dormant Vs. Delayed-Dormant.
Can you spray citrus fruit?
Dormant spray application is unsuitable for citrus fruit or avocado, since these trees do not go into a dormant state and can be harmed by the spray. Walnut trees do enter a dormant state and can undergo treatment with some types of dormant spray, but may suffer from damage if treated with dormant oils. No tree should receive dormant season treatment within 30 days of applying sulfur fungicide or during periods of water stress.
When to spray dormant oil on fruit trees?
Dormant Oil Sprays On Fruit Trees. Spraying fruit trees in winter with dormant oil spray is an essential part of fruit tree care, for insect and fungus management. The mixture of white oil and copper fungicide is applied during the dormant season (winter), preferably late winter, up until a couple of days before buds open, ...
When to apply dormant oil?
It is applied as a dilute spray in late winter or early spring to spray fruit trees for the prevention of pests and disease. The oil is called dormant as a reference to the season of usage i.e. when fruit trees are in the dormant period.
What is dormant oil spray?
Dormant oil sprays are horticultural oils, a mixture of several ingredients including petroleum or vegetable oil (also known as white oil ), emulsifier to enable water to mix with, and copper fungicide. It is applied as a dilute spray in late winter or early spring to spray fruit trees for the prevention ...
How long does it take for dormant oil to dry?
It takes about a couple of hours for dormant oil to dry. You can repeat application in 2-3 weeks. Almond tree buds with traces of dormant oil copper spray applied just a week earlier.
How to get rid of oil drops on trees?
Step by step process. make sure all plants in the vicinity of your trees are well covered with a plastic sheet to prevent oil drops from reaching them. get a large bottle of water, tank sprayer (pump sprayer), measuring cup, and a package of dormant oil. carefully read the label on the packaging, and follow safety instructions.
How do I spray a tree?
slowly and cautiously spray the trees: cover the whole tree with the mixture, every single branch from top to the bottom of the tree, the entire surface of branches and trunk to the very bottom, and a bit around the ground (I usually spray a circle of about 10 cm of soil around the trunk)
Can you apply oil to fruit trees?
If buds on your fruit trees are swollen and already started to open, it is risky to apply the oil. In case you just miss the right time, let’s say for few days or a week, you can still apply the oil but in a lower ratio than recommended on the label.
Why do trees need dormant oils?
Dormant oils prevent significant damage from being done to your trees once the larvae hatch. An additional benefit is that they are less toxic to beneficial insects such as ladybugs than other types of insecticides.
How hot should it be to apply oil?
You also don’t want it to be too hot when you apply the oil. Typically it shouldn’t be over 70 degrees.
What insects lay eggs in trees and shrubs in the fall?
Many insects such as scale, mites, fruit leaf rollers, and whiteflies lay eggs in trees and shrubs in the fall. In the spring these eggs hatch and produce larvae. The larvae begin feeding on the plant and cause significant damage.
Can certified technicians take a look at trees?
Our certified technicians can take a look at your trees to see what they would recommend specifically for your property . Trees are a valuable asset and we want to do everything we can to help you protect them. To learn more about other ways we can help protect your trees, click here.
When to use dormant oil on fruit trees?
Dormant oils should be used early in the spring, before the leaf buds begin to open .
When to use insecticide on fruit trees?
(15 C). Insecticidal sprays – Use insecticidal spray when the flower petals fall to take care of most fruit tree pests. The only exception to this rule for home use is probably the codling moth.
When to use fungicide on peaches?
Fungicide sprays – Use a fungicidal spray early in the season to eliminate scab disease, such as with peaches. You can wait a bit longer in the spring to use this spray, but do so before the leaves have opened. These general purpose fungicides should always be used when the daytime temperatures are steadily around 60 degrees F. (15 C).
Can you pick fruit trees from a tree catalog?
Image by audaxl. When you first chose your fruit trees, you probably picked them from a tree catalog. The shiny leaves and gleaming fruits in the pictures are enticing and promise a delicious result after a few years of minimal care. Unfortunately, fruit trees aren’t the carefree plants you might hope they’d be.
Can you spray fruit trees?
Unfortunately, fruit trees aren’t the carefree plants you might hope they’d be. Pests and diseases affect fruit trees in every part of the country. Spraying fruit trees is the best way to avoid these problems, and they work best when they are done at the right time of the year.
Why do you spray fruit trees?
Spraying fruit trees is a standard practice farmers and gardeners take to help control plant diseases and insect pests and also to provide needed nutrients. You can choose from many brands of chemically based products or those containing natural ingredients such as sulfur. Whichever type of sprays you prefer, it is important to spray your tree regularly. General purpose sprays take care of both insects and fungal diseases.
What is dormant spray?
Dormant Spray in Winter. Dormant oil is also called horticultural spray. Different types of oils, such as mineral oil or cottonseed oil, control insects such as mites, aphids and scale as well as diseases such as powdery mildew.
How to keep fruit trees healthy?
In addition to the granular or liquid fertilizer you give your tree, an annual foliar spray ing of compost tea can boost your tree's health. Mix 1 quart of organic compost in 5 gallons of water and stir the mixture every day for one week.
How to keep a tree from dropping leaves?
When about 90 percent of the petals have fallen, don't hesitate: spray your tree with a combination spray to control both diseases and insects. Spray with the same product again one week later, taking care to completely cover both the upper and undersides of all leaves.
