Insect Sprays for Pear Trees

Like many fruit trees, pear trees are vulnerable to numerous insect pests that could damage their foliage, reducing productivity, or straight damage fruit, rendering it inedible. While many of the same pests that afflict the apple tree also have an effect on the pear tree, pears generally take less damage from insects than apples and other fruit trees. While you can often choose enough pears for your family to enjoy even with no insecticides, establishing a spray program can help you achieve larger and higher-quality yields.

Pear Pests

Pears are suffering by numerous insect pests. Scale insects, mites and aphids are tiny pests that mass on leaves and twigs, inflicting the horticultural version of a death by 1,000 cuts into your pear trees. These pests are controlled via the application of a dormant oil using an insecticide only prior to bud-break. Caterpillars of the codling moth infest your cheeses, leading to wormy, inedible fruit and constitute a serious pear tree pest in certain areas.

Spray Schedules

Pests that assault pear trees can vary based on the area where you reside, and seasonal variations cause insects to strike at different times. Before purchasing insecticides to get your pear trees, then contact your community extension office to get a spray program for pear trees. These programs will say when to apply insecticides to most effectively control pest problems. As an instance, in the San Francisco region, pear tree owners must apply a dormant oil in January or February and 2 doses of insecticide against codling moth at the end of May and June.

Spray Safety

Insecticides are poisons and must be handled accordingly. When buying an insecticide, read the label carefully and adhere to all safety precautions. Whenever possible, pick the least-toxic option available. Pay particular attention to directions about protective clothing, disposal and storage of unused chemicals. Do not make the wrong premise that “organic” equals “safe”; organic pesticides can also have a high level of toxicity and must be handled with the same caution as their conventional counterparts. Never spray over instructed on the product tag; more is better, and too much of some pesticides can damage the tree. When spraying pear trees, insecticides can roam on the breeze and contaminate neighboring plants, wildlife or water sources. Avoid spraying on windy days. Insecticides kill the good bugs in addition to the bad, and thus don’t spray trees in blossom or you will kill the honeybees your trees depend on for pollination.

Tree-Spraying Tips

Insecticides to control several common pear pests are combined using horticultural oils. If you reside in a place which experiences freezes, avoid spraying any striped insecticide when a freeze is expected that night, as the oil will damage the tree if not fully dry. Allow at least 12 hours for complete drying. To be effective, insecticides must liberally cover each one the leaves and fruit on the tree. Spray the tree till the leaves are wet enough to drip. Properly pruning your pear tree will cut the total amount of spray required to control pest problems.

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