In the fall and winter, it's essential to remove debris and leaves from the orchard. During this time, we combine pruning with cutting to eliminate diseased and insect-infested shoots. We also clean up weeds, litter, and other organic matter around the orchard and burn or bury them deeply. This helps to reduce the number of pests that overwinter in these areas.
Ploughing the garden is another key practice. Not only does it improve soil structure and promote fruit tree growth, but it also helps control pests and diseases. By turning the soil, underground pests and pathogens are brought to the surface where they can be frozen, dried, or eaten by natural predators. This significantly reduces the population of pests that would otherwise emerge in the spring.
Scraping the bark of fruit trees is an effective method for controlling pests and diseases. Many pests and pathogens hide in the rough bark, cracks, and crevices of tree trunks. Removing this layer helps expose and eliminate these threats. As the saying goes, "If you want to eat pears, you must scrape the bark," highlighting the importance of this practice.
Trunk whitewashing is another useful technique. Applying a white coating to tree trunks during winter protects them from sunscald and frost damage. It also helps eliminate overwintering pests and pathogens on the bark. A common recipe for the whitewash includes 10 parts quicklime, 2 parts lime sulfur, 1–2 parts salt, 2 parts clay, and 35–40 parts water. The best times to apply it are once in late autumn before the ground freezes and again in early spring.
Trapping insects is another effective strategy. In the fall, we tie materials like burlap or cloth around the larger branches of fruit trees or place them in sacks to capture overwintering pests and larvae. These are then collected and destroyed, reducing their numbers for the next season. This method has been shown to be effective against pests such as the pear psylla, spider mites, armyworms, leaf miners, and leaf rollers, with success rates ranging from 47% to 78%.
Finally, applying chemical treatments during the dormant season can help manage various pests and diseases. Spraying deciduous fruit trees with a 2-4% oil-based diesel emulsion or a 5-degree Baume lime sulfur solution can effectively control scale insects, red spider mites, apple scab, pear black spot, and grape black spot. These treatments are most effective when applied before bud break and provide long-lasting protection.
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