Year-Round IPM Program Pages
This year-round program covers the major pests of apricot in California.
Postharvest
- Special issues of concern related to water quality: pesticide and fertilizer applications, drift, and runoff.
- Mitigate pesticide effects to minimize air and water contamination.
What should you be doing during this time?
Take leaf samples in July for nutrient analysis to guide your fertility program throughout the year.
Summer pruning: Prune trees as soon as possible after harvest, in July or August. Complete pruning 6 weeks before the onset of rainfall. Remove and destroy dead wood to reduce inoculum levels for:
- Eutypa dieback
- Brown rot
If shot hole disease has been a problem in the previous season, treat the orchard before rains begin, right after leaf fall if possible.
Assess weeds to identify any existing summer species, emerging winter species, and perennial weeds that escaped the previous year's weed control program.
- Keep records of problem weeds.
- Manage weeds in tree rows with herbicides, mowing, or cultivation as appropriate.
Manage vegetation in tree middles:
- Let resident vegetation grow, consider planting a cover crop, or clean cultivate.
- Armillaria root rot (oak root fungus)
- Crown gall
- Phytophthora root and crown rot
- Redhumped caterpillar
- Pacific flathead borer
- Peachtree borer
- Shothole borer