Persimmons are easy to care for, requiring minimal pruning and spraying. They are valued as a landscape plant for their shiny green leaves and for the fruit that they produce. Persimmons are exposed to scale pest infestations, particularly white peach scalethat are controlled with the use of a dormant oil spray.
Dormant Oil Sprays
Dormant oil is heavier than summer oils and is applied during the tree’s dormant season. Dormant oil sprays may also be implemented during the growing season, depending on the use. Dilute the oil based on the manufacturer’s instructions based on the time of year that you will utilize the oil.
Scale Insects
Scale insects attack the branches and trunk of this tree. Immature scales, called crawlers, are soft insects which move freely and are vulnerable to insecticides and oil sprays. Once they mature, they’re hard-shelled and rarely move. To control scale infestations, it is very important to act fast, applying a dormant oil through the immature phase. Mature scales seem as hard, round or oval growths on the tree.
When to Spray
Monitor your persimmon tree through early spring and summer for scale insects and squirt at once in the event that you detect them. Trees which have been infested in past years will probably have exactly the identical problem again. In this case, a dormant oil spray implemented in the winter acts as a preventive step. Scale insects generally appear just before budding and are vulnerable to the use of dormant oils during the crawler stage. Two applications, approximately a couple of weeks apart, are most effective to control infestations.
Application
It is very important to read and follow all instructions when using any agricultural product. Pick a day as close to bud break as possible when temperatures have warmed to above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray the tree thoroughly, so the oil penetrates into the inside of the tree and coats the back along with the top and undersides of foliage and branches.