Fruit Development

Put up pheromone traps for:

• Peach twig borer (March 20 in San Joaquin Valley, April 1 in Sacramento Valley)
• Obliquebanded leafroller (April 15 in San Joaquin Valley and Sacramento Valley)

Monitor shoot strikes for damage from oriental fruit moth and peach twig borer, especially in mating disruption orchards.

• Keep records (example monitoring form PDF).
• Manage if needed according to Peach Pest Management Guidelines.

If wet weather persists, continue to monitor for rust:

• Manage if needed according to Peach Pest Management Guidelines.

If orchard has a history of scab:

• Treat 3 weeks after full bloom.
• Treat again 2 weeks later if scab was severe the previous year.

Make fertilizer applications at appropriate intervals.

Where ground covers are present, take sweep samples for pests, beginning from early April to early June for:

• Plant bugs (Lygus and Calocoris)
• Katydids
• Stink bugs

Manage if needed according to Peach Pest Management Guidelines.

Sample fruit damage every other week after color break.

Monitor powdery mildew and treat if needed according to Peach Pest Management Guidelines.

If ground cover present:

• Survey weeds.
• Keep records (example weed survey form PDF).
• Mow, spray, or cultivate ground cover as needed.

Monitor spider mites from May through August:

• For best evaluation, conduct two 5-minute searches and keep records on a monitoring form (example form available online).
• Manage if needed according to the Peach Pest Management Guidelines.

Select leaf samples in July to analyze for nutrients. Pay particular attention to nitrogen, potassium, and some of the micronutrients such as zinc and boron.

• Take 60 to 80 mid-shoot leaves from moderately vigorous fruiting shoots.

If rain is predicted during the last 4 weeks before harvest, treat for ripe fruit rot.

Other pests you may see:

• Armillaria root rot
• Bacterial canker
• Phytophthora root and crown rot
• Peach silver mite

• Black peach aphid
• Scab
• Verticillium wilt
• Tree borers