Calendar for Temperate Fruit Tree Care

January

  • Rainfall is usually sufficient; water only if required
  • You can begin pruning the highest chill varieties if weather permits
  • Purchase and plant new varieties
  • Spray with dormant oil late in the month, or wait until next month - watch for bud swell

February

  • Pruning begins in earnest
  • Plant new varieties
  • Spray with dormant oil before bud break
  • If trees are in bloom during a hard freeze, protect the blooms from frost with an "umbrella" of frost cloth, burlap, or fabric sheets
  • Broadcast dried molasses over the entire drip line

March

  • Spray pears with Serenade for fireblight if you observed blight the previous year, or are growing vector plants (roses, hawthorns)
  • Spray stone fruits at petal fall with Surround WP® to prevent plum curculio
  • Water deeply if rainfall is insufficient
  • Top dress with compost
  • Refresh mulch
  • Thin early fruits when they are the size of a marble

April

  • Increase watering as weather warms
  • Thin fruits when they are the size of marble
  • Continue spraying stone fruits with Surround WP® at weekly intervals until one week before harvest

May

  • Start regular summer watering schedule
  • Harvest ripening fruits daily to preserve table quality
  • High Density - Cut vigorous growth by half; wait until after harvest for bearing trees

June

  • Water deeply once a week
  • Clean up any dropped fruit from around trees

July

  • Water deeply once a week
  • Clean up any dropped fruit from around trees

August

  • Water deeply once a week
  • High Density - Prune vigorous new growth this month or early September

September

  • Begin decreasing watering frequency as days cool
  • High Density - Prune vigorous new growth early this month if not done in August

October

  • Water deeply once if rainfall is insufficient
  • Broadcast dried molasses over the entire dripline

November

  • Water deeply once if rainfall is insufficient

December

  • Clean up leaves as they fall - they can harbor insects & diseases
  • Spray with dormant oil after leaf drop; may not be until January in mild winters

Fertilizing

Fertilizing differs by fruit type.  See Fertilizing Pome Fruits & Fertilizing Stone Fruits for specifics.