Received via email

-----

We have a dwarf stella cherry and a dwarf plum. When should we do dormant spray, and when should we prune? Also, do you have any suggestions for a good eating apple tree that is semi dwarf or that doesn't get too big? We are in Oregon City.

Thank you,

Melanie

I'm no expert on dormant spraying, but for cherry and plum I would think most any time in the dormant season would be OK. Like early January for example. Now would be OK I guess as long as you don't have any swelling flower buds yet.
But like I said, I'm not expert.
As far as pruning, I prefer to hold off on pruning stone fruits until *after* they have bloomed, particulary for peaches. Earlier pruning tends to stimulate earlier blooming, which is not what you want in western oregon. Also, later pruning minimizes the time that open wounds are left exposed on the tree.

Melanie
Visit and download the orgnaic spray guides from Integrated Fertility Management web site http://www.agecology.com/guides/pmcherr ... b6eb042acc

With a name like thqat they have to be good.

As for the apple, if you want only one tree you need a self-fertile apple. HOS has printed in the Pome News a list of self-fertile apples.

Semi-dwarf means??? The question is how large or small do you want your tree. If we know that information, then a rootstock can be suggested to give you a tree near that size. Yes you can always prune the tree to the size that you want but I have found that size genetics will win the the end.

Ted