WHAT TO DO IN FEBRUARY, MARCH AND APRIL
LYCHEE
February - Conclusion of harvest
No fertiliser necessary from now on.
Keep water up to properly develop leaf flush. Maintain nut borer sprays on late harvested varieties.
Keep an eye our for fruit piercing moth, birds and bats on late harvested varieties.
March
Keep water up to properly develop leaf flush.
Control erinose mite on the leaf flush if it has been a problem in the past. Sulphur can be used if day temperatures are not exceeding 24°C. Good coverage is very important.
Otherwise Rogor or Perfekthion.
Spray at 10-14 day intervals from emergence of the leaf buds until the flush has hardened off.
Replenish mulch if necessary.
April
Keep water up to properly develop leaf flush.
Maintain erinose mite sprays (as for March) if appropriate.
Keep an eye out for scale insects. Not a bad time to spray for ants around the base of the trunk to help prevent ants moving scales up into the tree. Lorsban is the recommended chemical.
MANGO
February - Main harvest period.
Remember that fruit must meet a maturity test - 15% dry matter for Kensington, 14% for other varieties. Market Inspectors at Rocklea Markets can provide further details. Ph.(07) 3793052.
Main fertiliser application should be made now. For early varieties such as Kensington, Irwin and Florigon, apply fertiliser at or just after harvest. For late varieties, such as Palmer and Zillate, apply fertiliser no earlier than 2 weeks before harvest and up to harvest.
Keep water up to develop leaf flush.
Spray for fruit fly at 7 to 10 day intervals until harvest. Remember to observe withholding period.
If anthracnose has been bad, keep up copper sprays at 2 to 3 weekly intervals until harvest.
Prune and shape trees just after harvest, don't prune heavily. All that is required is to open up tree a little and remove excess shoots from the branches. Do not shorten the remaining shoots.
March
No fertiliser from now on for early varieties.
Keep water up to develop leaf flush.
If Anthracnose has been bad, maintain a monthly copper spray schedule.
Lightly prune late maturing varieties such as Palmer and Zillate immediately after harvest. See notes for February.
If scale is a problem, spray with Lovis oil. Spray the base of the trunks with Lorsban to prevent ant movement into the trees.
April
Decrease water application from the middle of this month. Keep up copper sprays for anthracnose if the disease has been bad.
CUSTARD APPLE
February
Time for leaf analysis. Kits available from fertiliser distributors.
Trees are at their peak water need, so keep water up to the trees.
Check for fruit spotting bug and spray if necessary.
Check for mealybugs and spray if necessary.
Start monitoring for fruit fly and apply bait sprays if numbers indicate a problem.
Keep an eye out for yellow peach moth.
A good time to thin fruit now that final set has been determined.
March
Make a small application of fertiliser at this time (10% of annual total). Also apply trace elements as per leaf analysis results.
Still peak water need, so keep water up.
Keep monitoring for fruit fly and yellow peach moth and spray as required.
April - Start of Harvest
If March fertiliser application was missed, apply fertiliser now. But no later than this month.
Keep the water up.
Continue monitoring for fruit fly and yellow peach moth and spray as required.
DATE: January 1993
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