Red scale

Orchard sanitation must continue diligently during the harvesting period. All fruit that remains on trees after harvest must be removed and destroyed two weeks after completion of harvesting, at most. This is because false codling moth (FCM) activity does not cease during winter, and any remaining fruit could serve to facilitate this activity.

Plus, this winter fruit creates a reservoir of inoculum of FCM for the following spring. Conversely, removal of all fruit after harvest could dramatically reduce FCM levels in the following season. Fruit fly numbers can also build up on unharvested fruit.