- 1). Cultivate resistant varieties of apple tree. Chiefly due to the importance of apples as an economic crop, numerous cultivars have been developed specifically for high insect resistance. When choosing a variety of apple tree to grow at home, browse the most insect-resistant cultivars available at your local nurseries and use those.
- 2). Clean up leaf and other debris around the tree regularly. Prune off all dead or diseased wood from the tree and remove any dried apples, defoliated leaves or other debris from the area around the apple tree. These materials very often serve as overwintering sites for apple tree pests, so eliminating them from your trees will compel the pests to seek more suitable habitation elsewhere.
- 3). Spray the tree with horticultural oil in the spring. Horticultural oil is a preventative insecticide meant to kill pests before they can infest your tree (as opposed to contact insecticides that are applied to trees already infested). Spraying the tree in the spring at the first sign of green growth will kill off scale and other insect pests before they have a chance to fully take up residence in your apple trees.
- 4). Apply a multipurpose fungicide to prevent disease problems. Purchase any fungicide that is labeled for use on apple trees to prevent fungal diseases. The ideal time to spray is after the first appearance of green tissue on the tree. Always follow the manufacturer's application instructions exactly.
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