Apple Spray Schedule For 2026 In Kashmir : Complete Year Guide Step By Step
Spray Schedule By Monthly:
january
1. Apply white lead paint/ Bordeaux paste to pruned cuts.
2. Remove snow from crotches of plants /trees if needed. In case of heavy snow fall go for shaking of limbs mechanically.
3. Bench grafting of nursery stocks.
4. Stratification of seed/nuts/stones for sowing purpose be completed.
5. Removal of mummified fruits to be continued.
6. Collection and destruction of Hairy caterpillar egg clusters.
7. Pruning of citrus plants to be started.
8. Spray tree trunks against lichens with 1% Caustic Soda Solution after every 3-4 years period.
9. Ensure orchard sanitation and proper drainage of water.
10. Burning of leaves of apple should be ensured.
11. Go for staking of budded or grafted nursery plants to avoid snow damage
February
2. Spray tree trunks against lichens with 1% Caustic soda solution after every 3-4 years
3. Dormant spray may be resumed.
4. Grafting of nursery stocks and top-working of trees may be done wherever required, complete pollarding of almond trees.
5. Transplantation of deciduous plants be started and plantation of citrus to be continued.
6. Sow the stratified seeds in last week.
7. Pro-bloom spray of stone fruits and against almond diseases in particular.
8. Apply fertilizer to fruit trees in 1st fortnight schedule to early flowering cultivars ½ N (early CVS) P&K full dose.
9. Collection /destruction of egg clusters of Hairy caterpillar.
10. Correct Zn deficiency wherever indicated.
11. Transplantation of cuttings of various fruit trees like pomegranates, grape etc.
12. Preperperation of Nursery area for citrus seed sowing and arrangements to be made for procurement of citrus seeds.
13. Pruning of citrus to be completed.
14. Spray of copper fungicides and micro nutrients of citrus plantation to be completed.
15. Stake weak and lean plants, shake trees to remove snow immediately after heavy snow fall.
16. In case of up rooted trees consequent to heavy snowfall cover their roots with soil to prevent their desication and subject the trees to heavy pruning before the resumption of active growth in spring.
17. In case of prolonged sub zero temperature Smudging in young orchards may be done by burning gross and other crop residues at 8-10 places for each hectare of orchard.
18. Provide proper drainage in orchards to drain off surface water.
19. Prune the canker affected twigs and scrap the dead bark from trunk and burn them and apply Bordeaux paste/chubattia or white lead paints on scraped surface.
MARCH
2. Delay dormant spray to be completed by 3rd week of March i.e Spray Horticulture mineral Oil/diesel oil emulsion at green tip stage.
3. (a) Commence spray against scab as per spray schedule. (b) Spray against leaf spot and leaf curl in almond , cherry, Peach and Apricot
4. Transplantation of temperate and sub-tropical plants to be completed.
5. Completion of sowing of stratified seeds.
6. Complete top working of mother trees and grafting of nursery stock.
7. Pruning may be completed in higher altitudes.
8. Heading back of the last years budded stocks be completed.
9. Notching of old stocks to encourage new shoots.
10. Judicious fertilizer application be completed.
11. Drain out excessive water.
12. Spray against Anthracnose powdery and downy mildew of grapes.
13. Start sowing of citrus seeds, within one week of extraction.
14. Zinc sulphate 0.1% spray to citrus plantation.
15. Scrap canker bearing bark with sharp knife and apply copper oxy chloride 50wp paste on cut surface.
APRIL
2. Spray against mildew/leaf spot/leaf curl /blight as per recommendations.
3. Prebloom treatments against blossom thrips/weevils.
4. Treatment against emerging Hairy catterpiller/chafferbeetle .
5. Staking of new plants.
6. Remove off shoots / water sprouts of fruit trees/nursery stocks.
7. Spray against mites of walnuts/grapes/pear/ apple.
8. Basal treatment with soil insecticides against wooly aphis/mealy bugs.
9. Ensure proper drainage. Budding of citrus fruit plants.
10. Treatment against damping off to newly germinated/raised seedling stocks.
11. Hoeing followed by mulching especially under Kareiva conditions may be done with cut grass or other crop residues. This will suppress the weed growth besides conserving moisture.
12. Scrap dead bark and lichen from trees with bark scrappers and white wash fruit trees.
MAY
2. Spray against powdery mildew, leaf spot, shot hole leaf curl and blight.
3. Hoeing of nursery plants, removal of off-shoots to be continued.
4. White wash tree trunks with lime+copper sulphate where required.
5. Treatment against Hairy caterpillar, wooly aphis, Green aphis, leaf roller.
6. Burlapping against Hairy caterpillar.
7. Mulching to be done wherever needed.
8. Irrigate the orchards if need felt.
9. Apply 2nd doze of (N) fertilizer by last week of month.
10. Harvest ready stone fruits.
11. Spray against Anthracnose disease of grapes.
12. Sowing of green manuring crop.
13. Irrigate the new plantings.
14. Apply nitrogenous fertilizers to nursery stocks.
15. To control pinhole / shoot hole borer, plaster the tree (Trunks, stems) with Mixture of carbryl 10% and clay in the ratio of 1:6.
JUNE
2. Spraying against powdery mildew, leafspot, short hole, almond blight.
3. Spraying against Ist generation of sanjose –scale crawlers, apple moth, Hairycaterpiller, chaffer-Beetle,Anarbutterfly.
4. Continue burlapping.
5. Staking of fruits laden branches.
6. Harvesting of stone fruits to continue.
7. Stone extraction of wild apricot and peach.
8. Start budding of stone fruit plants by 3rd week.
9. Clipping of powdery mildew effected twigs /leaves.
10. Removal of off Shoots /water sprouts to continue.
11. Apply nitrogenous fertilizer dose to nursery saplings well before budding.
12. Untieing of top worked trees/grafted material.
13. Spray against grape Anthracnose disease.
14. Irrigate new plantations.
15. Apply (N) to orchard areas if not done so far.
16. Make necessary arrangements for budwood material.
17. Irrigate nursery stocks after hoeing and weeding.
18. Earthing up of stocks grafted this year.
19. White washing of trees trunks if not done earlier especially in stone fruits to avoid sunburn and gummosis if not done earlier.
20. Mulching of fruit trees especially those grown under rainfed conditions for moisture conservation.
JULY
2. Spraying against fungal disease as mentioned in the month of May and June to continue.
3. If required irrigate nursery stocks before budding and to orchard areas.
4. Budding of Nursery stocks of all fruit plants to continue.
5. Spray against sanjose-scale if needed.
6. Burlapping for Hairy caterpillar to continue.
7. Stone extraction of wild apricot and peach.
8. Hoeing and application of N fertilizers to nursery stocks to be completed.
9. Harvesting of late varieties of stone fruits and early varieties of pome fruits.
10. Wornout mulching to be replaced.
11. Summer purning of grapes.
12. Do not conduct sprays during high temperatures. Sprays can be conducted during morning /evening hours.
13. Stop sprayinging fruits 25 days before harvest.
14. Improve orchard sanitation.
15. Spray against fruit borer in pomegranate.
16. Monitor the population of Red mite on apple crop and spray with Acaricide/Summer oil if needed.
AUGUST
2. Summer spray against Sanjose –scale.
3. Budding of nursery stocks to continue.
4. Collect the buds material from the known mother plants.
5. Application o irrigation to nursery stocks and orchards if required.
6. Harvesting of almond crop to be completed.
7. Commencement of harvesting of mild season cultivars of apple and pear.
8. Burying of green manuring crops.
9. Sort and grade harvested lots under shade.
10. Collect the egg masses of Hairy caterpillar and destroy them.
11. Monitor Alternaria leaf spots and mite populations.
SEPTEMBER
2. Harvesting of walnut crop.
3. Irrigate the nursery areas wherever needed.
4. Post harvest spray against almond disease stone and remove blighted branches ,twigs from the affected trees and destroy them.
5. Budding can also be done in the first week of September in case the same has not been done earlier.
6. Collect the fallen fruits of pomegranate and destroy them to control borer in next season.
OCTOBER
2. Collection of crop and their storage.
3. Preparation of nursery land and application of F.Y.M and soil insecticides.
4. Arrangements for procurement of seeds/ nuts /stones suckers and seedling.
5. Procure seed nuts and stones for sowing from current year crop in order to ensure maximum seed viability and higher Germination percentage.
6. Campaign against rodents.
7. Layout, pit digging and filling up of pits with mixture of top soil and 20 kgs of FYM per pit in last week.
NOVEMBER
2. Early dormant spray after complete leaf fall.
3. Commencement of sowing of seeds /nuts/stones.
4. Filling up of pit to be completed.
5. Vigorous campaign against Rodents to continue. Control measures against Rodents with recommend rodenticides be continued.
6. Leaf burning campaign as advance action for scab control to be started.
7. Ploughing /tractorization of orchard areas for clean cultivation. 8. Basal dose of soil insecticides against mealy bugs and wooly aphis.
9. Treatment against collar rot.
10. Start pruning of fruit in the 2nd fortnight.
11. Apply white lead paint Bordeaux paste /Chaubattia past thinned with lin seed oil to cover and protect the wounds.
DECEMBER
2. Training and pruning of fruit trees to continue
3. Procurement of cuttings of grape /pomegranate/quince, entrench for callus formation.
4. Application of F.Y.M to orchard area.
5. Keep the seeds for stratification if required. 6. Control measures against frost wherever needed. 7. Shake of snow from crotches/branches if necessary
8. Plantation of wind breaker.
9. Treatment against collar rot to continue.
10. Take appropriate measures to protect stored fruits against freezing injury
11. Clean water channels /drains and control measures against rodents to be continued.
FAQS
What is the best time to start apple spraying in Kashmir in 2026?
Most apple growers in Kashmir start the first spray during the late dormancy to green tip stage, usually between early March and late March depending on snowfall and temperature. In colder areas like Shopian, Tangmarg, and parts of Kupwara, spraying may begin slightly later than in Pulwama or Sopore.
Experts from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir continue to advise orchardists not to delay the first scab-prevention spray because early infections are difficult to control later in the season.
Which disease is Kashmir apple growers most worried about every year?
Apple scab remains the biggest concern for orchardists across Kashmir. Farmers especially fear scab infections during rainy periods around the pink bud, bloom, and petal fall stages.
In recent years, continuous spring rains in Kashmir have increased scab pressure, which is why most growers closely follow SKUAST advisories before rainfall events.
What is the most important spray stage in apples?
Most experienced growers in Kashmir consider the following stages critical:
- Green Tip
- Pink Bud
- Petal Fall
- Fruitlet (Pea Size)
Missing sprays during these stages can lead to heavy scab infection, fruit russeting, poor fruit quality, and lower market rates.
Plant pathologists from Kashmir repeatedly warn that poor management during the pink bud stage often leads to severe disease outbreaks later.
Why do farmers in Kashmir spray before rain?
Rain creates ideal conditions for apple scab infection. That is why orchardists try to spray fungicides before wet weather arrives.
If heavy rain falls shortly after spraying, many growers repeat the spray because rain can wash away protective fungicides. SKUAST advisories also mention that sprays may need repeating if rainfall occurs within about 12 hours of application.
What do Kashmir apple growers usually spray at green tip stage?
At green tip stage, growers commonly use contact fungicides aimed at preventing early scab infections.
Commonly discussed options in Kashmir orchard circles include:
- Mancozeb
- Captan
- Dodine
- Ziram
The exact choice often depends on rainfall forecast, previous scab history, and local horticulture advisories.
Which spray is commonly used during pink bud stage in Kashmir?
During pink bud stage, farmers generally shift toward stronger scab-management fungicides because this is considered one of the highest-risk infection periods.
Many orchardists in Pulwama, Shopian, and Kulgam spray fungicides immediately before expected rainfall during this stage.
Popular fungicides often mentioned include:
- Dodine
- Hexaconazole mixtures
- Difenoconazole
- Fluxapyroxad combinations
Can growers mix insecticides and fungicides together?
Most horticulture experts in Kashmir advise against unnecessary mixing.
Recent spray advisories clearly recommend avoiding random combinations because improper mixing can:
- Reduce spray effectiveness
- Cause leaf burn
- Increase resistance problems
- Damage blossoms
Experts also recommend maintaining a gap between fungicide and insecticide applications whenever possible.
What is the ideal time of day for spraying apple orchards?
Early morning is generally considered best for spraying in Kashmir orchards.
Growers avoid spraying during:
- Strong sunshine
- Windy conditions
- Rainy weather
- Peak afternoon heat
Morning spraying helps improve chemical absorption and reduces drift loss.
How many sprays are normally required in Kashmir apple orchards?
The number changes every season depending on rainfall and disease pressure, but most commercial orchards require multiple sprays from dormancy until pre-harvest.
In rainy years, growers may need additional protective sprays, especially during April and May when scab pressure is highest.
Why do growers repeat sprays after heavy rain?
Heavy rainfall can dilute or wash off fungicide deposits from leaves and fruits.
That is why horticulture experts repeatedly advise orchardists to monitor rainfall closely and repeat sprays when necessary. This practice is especially common during prolonged wet spells in Kashmir.
Which insect pests are common in Kashmir apple orchards?
Some major pests commonly reported in Kashmir orchards include:
- San Jose Scale
- Woolly Aphid
- Red Mite
- Leaf Miner
- Aphids
Management usually starts from dormant or delayed dormant stages through mineral oil sprays and proper orchard sanitation.
What is delayed dormant spray in apples?
Delayed dormant spray is applied before buds fully open, usually before green tip stage.
In Kashmir, many growers use horticultural mineral oil sprays during this period to suppress overwintering insects and scale populations.
Why is petal fall spray considered so important?
Petal fall stage is highly sensitive because young fruits become vulnerable to fungal infections right after flowering.
Experts in Kashmir often advise growers not to skip petal fall sprays, especially if rainfall is expected. Missing this stage can result in severe crop damage.
What should growers avoid while spraying apples?
Experienced orchardists usually avoid:
- Spraying during rain
- Using dirty water
- Overdosing chemicals
- Repeating the same fungicide continuously
- Mixing too many pesticides together
Recent advisories from Kashmir horticulture experts specifically warn against repeated use of the same fungicide because it increases resistance risk.
Why do some orchards still get scab despite regular spraying?
Several reasons can cause spray failure:
- Incorrect spray timing
- Rain immediately after spraying
- Poor coverage
- Wrong fungicide choice
- Resistance buildup
- Missing critical stages
Researchers in Kashmir have repeatedly found that many orchardists still do not fully follow recommended spray schedules properly.
Do weather conditions really affect the spray schedule in Kashmir?
Yes. Weather is one of the biggest factors controlling spray timing in Kashmir.
Continuous spring rains, hailstorms, cold spells, and delayed blooming can completely change the spray calendar from one district to another.
That is why most growers now follow real-time advisories issued during the season rather than relying only on fixed calendar dates.
What are Kashmir apple growers searching most online in 2026?
Based on current orchard discussions, advisories, and seasonal concerns, growers are frequently searching for:
- “Latest apple spray schedule 2026 Kashmir”
- “Scab spray after rain”
- “Pink bud spray in apples”
- “Petal fall spray advisory”
- “Best fungicide for apple scab”
- “SKUAST spray schedule PDF”
- “When to spray apples after rainfall”
- “Apple disease control Kashmir”
- “Apple scab treatment Shopian”
- “Low volume spray for apples”