When to prune fruit trees? What do you spray on them in the spring to stop the worms, etc?

Question

When I moved here two years ago, there was a peach tree and a plum tree. Each spring they bloom and then when the fruit comes on they just shrivel up and are wormy, etc. Maybe they are just too old? (About 9 years, I think.)

Answer 1

Are you watering your trees enough? And are you fertilizing them? I don't think they are too old. I'm sure there is some sort of insecticide or herbicide that you can use, you'll just have to go to the store and look.

Answer 2

Carl is correct.  I would suggest going to a garden center or greenhouse, NOT HOME DEPOT OR LOWE'S and ask for the recommendations for your area.

Be prepared! LOTS of spraying.

Answer 3

Prune the trees when they are dormant.  "No leaves."   Very early spring is best before they start to grow.  

You have to spray peaches many times.

Spray lime-sulfur in the very early spring before the buds start to grow. "For leaf curl"

The next most important spray is just after the bees leave the blooms and spray with a fruit tree mix.  A fungicide like Captan and an insecticide like Malathion.  Liquid Malathion and Captan don't mix however.  Go with a Fruit tree mix so you will only have to buy one thing and not worry about the compatibility of the chemicals.  

Spray with just Malathion on the bark of the tree for peach tree borers however.  Thiodan and Lorsban is the best but pretty toxic for a home grower.  Spray for borers in july and August.