Q. What should or should not I be doing with my fruit
trees this time of year? I have apples, pear, nectarines and lemon trees.
A. Apple and Pear trees should be pruned, removing all
damaged or diseased wood and about 20% of last years growth.
Spray with a dormant oil which will help control San Jose Scale, aphid and mite
eggs. Make certain that your pruners are sharp and oiled so that the cuts that
you make are clean. Apples bear on fruiting spurs, thickened small branches
with fat buds at the apex. Occasionally gardeners become too enthusiastic
with their pruning, removing too many of the spurs, significantly reducing their
crop. If the soil under the tree is saturated, wait till it has dried out
for several days before pruning. Control winter weeds, but do not till beneath
the tree. Tilling will damage the roots, and impact the stored nutrition for
the upcoming new leaves. It is not necessary to coat pruning cuts, and may
damage the trees by trapping disease organisms under the coating. This is not
the season to fertilize.
The nectarine tree should have been sprayed once in December with a
fixed copper spray to help control Peach Leaf Curl. The second spray should
take place around Feb. 1. These trees need to have about 50% of last years
growth pruned out to encourage new shoot growth in the future. Remove any dead
or damaged wood, and check for borer tunnels. Remove mummies (withered
fruit that was not harvested that might remain on the tree). Spray with
dormant oil to control San Jose Scale.
The Lemon needs very different care. Pruning is
done later in the spring after the danger of frost has passed. The biggest
winter issue concerns minimizing potential freeze damage. If you have mulch
under the tree, you may want to pull it back so that the soil can warm up
during the day-light hours. Make sure that the mulch is replaced in the
spring. If a heavy freeze is forecast, wrap the trunk of a young tree
with a thermal wrap. This can be several layers of corrugated cardboard,
several layers of newspapers, or a purchased wrap. Be sure to cover the trunk
to an area above the bud union. If a very severe, artic freeze is forecast, you
might want to use in insulated sawdust collar. Make a collar 5-6" (
12.5-15cm) in diameter and place it around the trunk/ bud union. Fill this with
sawdust. Anti-transpirant sprays will provide a bit of protection in
less dire conditions, you can build a scaffold over the tree and cover it with
a sheet, or decorate the tree with outdoor lights. Water the tree
well a day or two prior to the freeze, and again after the freeze hits. Moist
soils hold heat better than dry soil.
( Here are the January to-do lists from the Master Gardeners in
Contra Costa)
Prune
dormant deciduous fruit trees except for Apricots. Check ties and stakes.
Protect vulnerable plants from freeze/frost damage.
Plant bare-root fruit trees, roses, berries, rhubarb, asparagus,
strawberries, artichokes, gladiolus.
Prune roses and other summer blooming shrubs. Wait to prune spring
blooming plants.
Remove winter weeds.
Do not walk on wet soils to avoid compaction problems.
Prune Sasanqua camellias when they have stopped blooming.
Trap for snails and slugs.
Design your spring garden. Order seeds if necessary.
Visit the California Rare Fruit Growers Scion exchange.
Spray dormant sprays to help control aphids, scale, mildew.
blackspot, rust. Spray on a windless day when the temperature is above 40F.