Young trees from the nursery used to plant new orchards are often infested with apple rust mite and/or fruit tree red spider mite and do not have established populations of the orchard predatory mite Typhlodromus pyri.
- Damage by rust mite can occur rapidly in the first season after planting whereas the pest may be unimportant in other established orchards on the farm.
- Steps should be taken to ensure the nursery trees are not heavily infested with pest mites before they are purchased and delivered to the farm.
- In orchards, hot, dry situations favour rapid population increase of apple rust mite.
- Overall bare soil orchards should be avoided.