Pecan, Fruit And Nut Spray Schedule for Austin, TX

Table. 1 Homeowner’s spray schedule for pecans.

Prepollination (when leavesNutritional

*Due to variation in the concentration of pesticides in different products, refer to the label for the specific rate per 1 gallon spray solution.

WP = wettable powder
EC = emulsifiable concentrate
DF = dry flowable

Peaches, Plums, Nectarines, and Apricots – Use sulfur fungicides throughout the spray program. Decrease application interval to shortest interval allowed. Shortened intervals are important during the late bloom, shuck split and first cover period and again during the preharvest period. These are periods when fruit diseases are most damaging.

Pecans – Copper sulfate is considered an organic fungicide and some formulations are approved for use on pecans to control pecan scab and other foliage diseases. Copper sulfate is highly toxic to fruit trees such as peaches, plums, apricots and nectarines, and to some ornamental plants. Be careful when using this product around sensitive plants if there is a possibility of drift.

General Considerations – Most plant diseases require that the leaf, fruit or nut remain wet for a certain length of time for infection to occur. The following precautions should be taken to reduce the length of time the plant is wet following dew or rainfall: (1) prune trees to allow sunlight to penetrate the leaf canopy; (2) space trees to allow for air circulation; (3) plant trees in an area that will receive early morning sun and where air circulation will not be blocked by buildings or other plants; and (4) avoid wetting the tree during irrigation.

Select varieties that have natural resistance to the major diseases of your area. Resistance does not mean immunity to infections, but fungicide applications are usually more effective on plants with some resistance.

Diseases Caused By Fungi:

• Pecan Scab
• Sticky Shuck
• Downy Spot
• Vein Spot
• Brown Leaf Spot

Insects:

• Pecan Phylloxera
  • Causes Galls On Leaves, Trigs And Nuts
• Pecan Nut Casebearer
  • Fees On Nutlets, Or Later In Season, In The Chucks
• Hickory Shuckworm
  • Tunnels In And Feeds On Shucks
• Pecan Aphid
  • Honeydew-Producing Insects
• Walnut Caterpillar
  • • Feeds On Leaves, Does Not Produce Web
• Fall Webworm
• Caterpillar Encased In A Large Web, Occasionally Encasing Entire Branches
• Obscure Scale
  • Sucking Insect Found On Trunk And Limbs. Color Much Like That Of The Bark. Difficult To See Except On Close Examination
  • There Are Other Pests That Do Not Occur As Frequently As Those Listed, But Are Usually Controlled By Spray Procedures For The Most Common Pests

Spray Schedule

MID-JANUARY – DORMANT OIL SPRAY for control of obscure scale and phylloxera. Temperature must be 40-70 F.

LATE FEBRUARY – (before buds break) – DORMANT OIL SPRAY for control of phylloxera. Spray all limb surfaces, paying particular attention to the tree trunk. This is where the phylloxera like to overwinter.

MARCH (or when leaves are half-grown, pre-pollination) – Insecticide like X-Ecute (or other suggestions on product information list below). Fungicides like Benelate 50WP or BENOMYL and Zinc Sulphate to feed leaves and control rosette.

LATE APRIL (pre-pollination) – repeat March

MAY (post-pollination when pecan nutlets turn brown and bloom ends) – Repeat March/April applications.

JUNE-SEPTEMBER – Your spray schedule now falls into 15-day cycles (10-day cycle during heavy rain). During periods of rain showers, inspect pecan leaves, nuts and bark for insects, insect egg deposits and indications of fungi.

AUGUST – Regardless of what day your spray application is due, BE SURE to apply insecticide and fungicide along with zinc sulphate on Aug. 15 or as close to this date as possible. This application is necessary to control the hickory shuckworm.

Do not spray any application after pecan shucks splits or during harvest. After harvest, spray schedule may be resumed to control walnut caterpillar, fall webworm and fall foliage diseases. It is important to try to keep your trees disease- and insect-free in order to keep the foliage on the tree as long as possible. Remember, between harvest and normal leaf drop and dormancy, the foliage is manufacturing food for next year’s nut production.

PRODUCT INFORMATION:

DORMANT OIL (97% oil emulsion) – Ready available at most nuseries, garden centers and feed stores.

X-ECUTE (dimethoate) – A liquid insecticide made by Pro Tech. Made specifically for pecan trees. Avoid contact with any other vegetation around pecan tree. Also found at most full-service nurseries, solutions stores and feed stores. Other options for insecticide are Cygon 2 EC, Malathion 50%EC, Green Light Double Dursban 12.6%, and Green Light Neem Oil Concentrate for Fruit and Nut Trees.

ZINC SULPHATE – A unique combination of liquid zinc, nitrogen and other compounds. Significantly increases yield and quality and promotes even maturity. More importantly, controls the disease rosette.

DUTER (Triphenyl Tin Hydroxide) – A fungicide that has been effective in controlling certain diseases which have developed resistance to Benomyl.

BENLATE 50 WP (BENOMYL) – Getting harder to find, but still available at feed stores and solution stores. Other options include Benomyl and Green Light Neem Oil. Effective in controlling certain diseases like leaf spot, leaf curl, kernel rot and scab.

*Please Note: We do not spray anything above 15 ft.

Contact the experts at Real Green Pest Control & Lawn Care and get the best tree service in Austin, Buda, Georgetown, Liberty Hill and other surrounding areas.