It takes a committed gardener to consistently produce high-quality peaches or plums. These fruit crops are especially demanding when it comes to pest management because peaches and plums are attacked by many insects and diseases that must be controlled to have a successful crop.
Some of the diseases that attack peaches in Mississippi are very aggressive, and missing one or two key sprays can result in the loss of most of a peach crop, especially if sprays are missed when weather conditions are favorable for disease development.
Fungicides protect the plant or fruit from infection; they do not eliminate the infection once it has occurred. While fungicide sprays are necessary to grow peaches in the Deep South, much of the real protection from these diseases will come from removing and destroying the inoculum (or “seed”-producing structures) of these diseases.
When tree parts suspected of harboring disease are removed or pruned from the tree or surrounding soil, immediately place them in a plastic bag. Tightly close the bag and destroy it. If the limbs are too large to fit in the bag, place them well away from and downwind of the trees. Burn or otherwise remove them as soon as possible. Do not allow them to accumulate.
Sanitation
A good sanitation program can greatly improve control of diseases and insects. The following sanitation and management practices are simple, inexpensive, and effective:
• Remove all dead branches and rotted and mummified fruit from trees and the orchard floor.
• Remove leaves, bark, sticks, and plant debris near trees.
• Remove any swollen branches from plums.
• Prune trees properly to allow good air circulation and light penetration.
• Protect the trunk and root flare area from mechanical injury.
Spray Suggestions
Controlling tree size makes them easier to spray. Pruning reduces tree height and number of limbs. This allows better air circulation and greatly improves spray coverage. Use adequate spray volume for the size of the trees you are treating and take care to get good spray coverage. Apply sprays as a mist of fine droplets with enough pressure to completely cover the tree. Be sure your spray pattern reaches the highest leaves.
Disease spray intervals may need to be tightened during periods of warm, wet weather. Sprays also need to be reapplied, or spray intervals tightened, following rainfall of a half-inch or more. Never use a sprayer for peach and plum trees that has been used to apply 2,4,D weed killers.
Be careful when applying pesticides. Always follow all label recommendations and restrictions.
