Very few of us want to spray our fruit trees, but especially young fruit trees can be susceptible to pest and disease infections. Preventing infections with a few well timed spray applications will help to ensure a bumper crop of fruit and a healthy tree. New generation products are usually organic-based and are very effective. Winter is an opportunity to prevent problems that could ruin the coming crop. 

When the leaves have fallen (and fruit has been harvested), apply a good coating of Yates Liquid Copper (or similar copper-based fungicide) to smother disease spores that can over-winter and re-infect the tree in the following season. This helps to prevent the likes of bacterial blast, leaf curl, brown rot (for stonefruit), black spot (for apples) and verrucosis (for citrus). 

Timing is less critical for the winter (or dormant) oil spray. Use Yates Conqueror Oil (or similar oil product), to smother insects, eggs or larvae, when the tree has no leaves or bud development.

Other cultural practices which can help with preventing pest and disease infections include: 

- Remove leaf little and fruit mummies. 

- Prune trees to remove dead, diseased or damaged wood.

- Prune trees to an open habit, to remove congested and crossing branches. 

- Seal all pruning cuts with Bacseal pruning paste. Only prune when there is a forecast of good weather for the following few days - rain spreads disease spores and bacteria.