Year-Round IPM Program Pages
This year-round IPM program covers the major pests of prune in California.
Postharvest (Fall)
- Special issues of concern related to water quality: none.
- Fall is when aphids migrate back into the orchard.
What should you be doing during this time?
Survey weeds and determine the need to plant a cover crop. Record results on a late fall weed survey form.
Plant a cover crop, if appropriate, or keep resident vegetation mowed low at bloom to reduce the risk of frost damage.
Look for weeds that escaped previous treatments that may be resistant to herbicides, including sprangletop, junglerice, ryegrass, horseweed, and hairy fleabane.
Manage weeds in rows with conventional pre- or postemergence herbicides, or approved practices in organic orchards. Sample for mealy plum aphid and leaf curl plum aphid at 75% leaf fall to determine need for dormant sprays.
Consider zinc sulfate application to hasten leaf fall in order to disrupt aphid's life cycle.
Plan for next year.