Spraying your fruit trees
THE rains are on and it is time for fruit trees to bare buds. However, this time is usually problematic as some buds may fall off trees when it rains and others get attacked by pests.
By Harriet Birungi
THE rains are on and it is time for fruit trees to bare buds. However, this time is usually problematic as some buds may fall off trees when it rains and others get attacked by pests.
Khadija Mwebaze, a gardener in Ntinda, however, says this time should not cause despair.
“With the right sprays, trees will have enough fruits,â€she says.
For instance, mango flower panicles (young fruit and leaves) are subject to powdery mildew, especially in the rains, but spraying of powdered kelp at bud break will often control it. Sodium bicarbonate and fungicides are also effective, she says.
“Using sprays for fruit trees will not only keep off pests, but also keep the buds closed until they break for pollination,†she explains.
She says one should have a spraying routine because some pesticides are harmful to the roots and may render some fruits unsafe to eat, if used towards harvest.
She says spraying in the rains may not be helpful as the spray will just run off.
“To ensure minimum wash off, spray after a downpour twice a week for two months,†Mwebaze explains.
If it is too late and the tree has already begun to show unhealthy buds, just pluck off the diseased buds. The intention is to ensure that the tree does not waste nutrients to the buds that cannot be saved.
“Leaving the damaged buds is practically throwing away all the nutrients that could be used on the healthier buds,†she explains.
But if a whole branch has infected buds, the only solution is to cut it off. This also provides enough space for fruits to grow after bud-breaking.
THE rains are on and it is time for fruit trees to bare buds. However, this time is usually problematic as some buds may fall off trees when it rains and others get attacked by pests.
Khadija Mwebaze, a gardener in Ntinda, however, says this time should not cause despair.
“With the right sprays, trees will have enough fruits,â€she says.
For instance, mango flower panicles (young fruit and leaves) are subject to powdery mildew, especially in the rains, but spraying of powdered kelp at bud break will often control it. Sodium bicarbonate and fungicides are also effective, she says.
“Using sprays for fruit trees will not only keep off pests, but also keep the buds closed until they break for pollination,†she explains.
She says one should have a spraying routine because some pesticides are harmful to the roots and may render some fruits unsafe to eat, if used towards harvest.
She says spraying in the rains may not be helpful as the spray will just run off.
“To ensure minimum wash off, spray after a downpour twice a week for two months,†Mwebaze explains.
If it is too late and the tree has already begun to show unhealthy buds, just pluck off the diseased buds. The intention is to ensure that the tree does not waste nutrients to the buds that cannot be saved.
“Leaving the damaged buds is practically throwing away all the nutrients that could be used on the healthier buds,†she explains.
But if a whole branch has infected buds, the only solution is to cut it off. This also provides enough space for fruits to grow after bud-breaking.