Steve Harris wrote in message ...
Got "The Fruit Expert" by Dr. DG Hessayon to help me look after the
recently planted apples, raspberries, gooseberries and blueberries.

Am ALARMED at the number of pests and diseases I shall be facing! It
seems the birds will eat everything, although the apples might escape.

But he prescribes spraying the apples at SIX specific times during the
year.

Is it really that grim or is the good Doctor something of a pessimist?


No, it isn't generally that grim and you don't generally need
to spray 6 times per year. In many cases you can get away
without spraying at all.

However, fruit is a highly attractive thing to eat for wildlife
as well as us, and some fruits have been highly bred for
taste, leaving them more vulnerable to diseases than their
wild counterparts. They're also a permanent crop, so
you can't easily reduce the pest count by replanting the
next year in a different place as you do with veggies.

I'd suggest that you try without spraying initially, and you
patiently assess any problems you get- use Hessayon's
book as a guide if you get problems. Be aware that
apples etc seem to me to be more vulnerable to problems
in their first couple of years.

It may well be that your experience will depend on the
varieties you've chosen. In my garden Cox & possibly
Greensleeves have not been able to yield a crop, so
they are coming out as I don't want to bother spraying,
and the same applies to my Comice pear.

have fun

--
Anton