Spraying apple trees. When?

[eurolarva]

I was at a local nursery this week and they told me to spray fruit spray on apple tree when I first see buds then spray the second application after 3/4 of the blossums have fallen off the tree. My question is is this the buds I am looking for for the first spray? I have not posted two of the pictures because of the size that I uploaded them into my online storage so that the things I think are buds are easier to see. This one I reduced in size.

These are on my online storage site and are around 2 megs

http://home.comcast.net/~printergod2000/apple%20buds%20001.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~printergod2000/apple%20buds%20002.JPG

If I am suppose to spray now will the rain we might get this week be a problem?

[jentz]

If you are a real apple monger, there are so many have to spray times it seems out of control.With the warm weather Yes I will spray soon,bugs are out.I think the cycle for spray is Bud stage NOW,then bloom spray,then flower pedal drop spray,then when fruit are dime sized then every 2 weeks.

Myself I will spray now this year, seldom do I spray till flower stage.I will spray near the end of flower stage, (so I dont harm bees pollination insects)then about two weeks later.After that I watch the trees any sign of any infestation I spray.I only have 2 apple trees so its easy to keep watch.

[Powerstroke]

YIKES!

It totally depends on what you are spraying for. Are you spraying apple trees to prevent apple scab fungus on the leaves? Are you worries about insects? Are you doing it because of fruit production?

This is very important because each product has their own timing.

[eurolarva]

I am new to the apple tree ownership. We produced some fruit last year. One tree is Honeycrisp and the other two are other U of M trees. My understanding is we have an all in one spray that is called fruit tree spray which is 11 percent Captan. I do not know what I am doing and will take any advise you can give. A lot of the nurseries don't seem to know what to do and tell me to go to the U of M site which is very confusing. One place told me to spray when the buds on the tree show then again after most of the petals fall then again every two weeks.

[Powerstroke]

Unless someone gives you better timing advice I wouls use the info you got from the nursery and from jentz.

My spray experience was never for fruit production so I'm not familiar with that timing or the products.