PROBLEMS
Spotting trouble early
A tidy, airy orchard gets sick far less often than a crowded one. Most of what follows is about noticing things in time, not about spraying.
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Holes in the stem, leaves turning yellow
Small holes low on the trunk with sawdust around them mean a borer is inside. Left alone it can kill the tree. Cut out and burn affected wood, keep the base weeded, and walk your trees often enough to catch it early.
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Flowers drying before they set
If panicles brown and dry at flowering, a caterpillar is usually feeding on them. This is the one time of year when damage costs you the whole crop, so check the flowers every few days once they open.
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Dark rough patches on branches
Raised dark cankers with cracks in the bark are caused by a fungus, which shows up most in crowded, poorly pruned orchards during the rains. Scrape the patch clean, clear fallen debris, and open the canopy so light and air get in.
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Fruit rotting on the tree
Rot in the ripening bunches spreads fastest where air cannot move. Thin crowded branches, pick up every fallen fruit, and do not let infected ones lie in the basin.
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Clean tools, healthy trees
Wipe pruning tools between trees so you are not carrying disease down the row. And feed properly — a well-fed tree shrugs off trouble that flattens a hungry one.
Not sure how this applies to your land?
Ask our nursery team