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TIPS FOR ORGANIC FRUIT TREE MANAGEMENT

The most important factor for growing fruit organically is to ensure a healthy, stress free tree and then, just like people, your tree will then be less susceptible to pests and diseases:-
Feed your soil -From sands to clays all soils benefit from the addition of organic matter to ensure a structure which will maintain a well drained, yet retentive, humus rich soil. Create and maintain a 1m weed and grass free zone around the trunk which should be mulched well to conserve moisture. This is especially important with the dwarfing rootstocks.
Husbandry - Regularly check your trees for pests and diseases, take action sooner rather than later - prevention rather than cure and a mild infestation is much easier to control. Use biological and non chemical control measures where possible. Practice good hygiene -

Clear Fallen Fruit
Clear Decaying Leaves,
Clear Any Pruning Materials
Encourage Insect Eating Predators

MONTH PROBLEM ACTION
January- March	General Maintenance and Husbandry	Maintain grease bands fitted Sept/Oct previous year. Encourage aphid eating birds etc. Remove decaying matter to discourage pests and disease, especially where scab, rusts and canker have been a problem
End of March - April	Feed and Mulch	Apply top dressing of organic fertilizer at manufacturers recommended rates. Apply 50/75mm mulch of organic material to conserve moisture.
Regular inspection of trees for signs of pests and diseases - take action to control sooner, rather that later
May	Codling MothGrubs feed on central core of fruit. Affects apples, pears, plums, damsons and walnuts.	Put up pheromone traps in the middle of the month. The trap uses the pheromone scent of the female moth to attract and catch the male moth - reducing the egg-laying
June	June Drop - a natural occurrence - small immature fruits are shed by the tree Weeds - compete for nutrients and water	Collect up all fallen fruit and destroy or put in hot compost heap. Collect up weeds, destroy or put in compost heap
July	Moisture Conservation Summer Prune	Top up mulch layer of organic material applied in the spring to conserve moisture. To manipulate fruit production - especially important on plums and cherries when winter pruning is not recommended. Remove any dead, diseased or crossing branches. If diseased take care not to spread disease - clean saws, secateurs and yourself, dispose of diseased prunings.
FRUIT PICKING SEASON BEGINS !
August	Stay Clean If wasps really a problem	Keep up on husbandry as above Hang jars of sticky juice on tree.
September-October	Stem crawling insects especially winter moth	Apply grease bands or barrier glue to stakes and trunks. Keep in place until late April. Can be reapplied in early summer to control ants, which encourage aphids. Remove pheromone traps
November-December	Soil Feeding	Apply a good mulch of manure 50-75mm thick around base of trees - no need to fork in.

ORGANIC FRUIT PEST CONTROL & SUNDRIES PRICE LIST
DESCRIPTION	PURPOSE	PRICE EACH

Pheromone Codling Moth Trap	Apple maggot control	£6.75 £4.95 - Refill
Pheromone Plum Fruit Trap	Plum maggot control	£6.75 £4.95 - Refill
Glue bands	Barrier to crawling/wingless insects	£4.95
Greasebands	Controls winter moth, caterpillars, ants and earwigs.	£3.45
Rabbit spirals	Physical barrier to help protect fruit trees from bark damage by rabbits.	£0.30
Organic Seaweed - 500ml	Natural plant growth stimulant and soil conditioner.	£3.28
Natural Predators
Vine Weevil - Nematode	1 application sufficient to treat 600l compost or 6m2- For use when soil temperature is above 120c - for inside or outside use	£10.99
Sundries
Sundries	CDV Compost Soil improver	£3.00
Stake - 50mm X 1.5M	Tree support	£2.50
Buckle Tie		£0.75