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Should we be using pesticides on our fruit trees? And if not… what do we do instead?

In this episode of White Strawberries, I’m joined by Matthew Priestley, whose work and thinking around ecological systems challenges and encourages us to rethink how we respond to pests in our orchards🌿

We explore what’s really going on when pests and disease show up, and why reaching for sprays might be missing the bigger picture. From airflow (including opening up a “wind tunnel”) to soil health, tree nutrition, and system design, this conversation is all about working with your ecosystem instead of against it.

If you’re growing fruit trees and wondering how to manage pests without pesticides, this episode offers a practical, grounded alternative rooted in science, observation, resilience, and long-term thinking.

What You’ll Discover

• Should you use pesticides on fruit trees—or avoid them altogether?
• What pests and disease are actually telling you
• How airflow and pruning reduce pressure naturally for some fruit trees
• Why soil health and tree nutrition are foundational
• How systems evolve as your trees grow and mature
• What to do instead of spraying (organic and non organic pesticides)

Find Matthew on the BrotherWood site here and on Socials here.

Some of Matthew's favourite resources:

Products he mentioned (He has no affiliation with these):

Hortitech Foliar Protect

Hydrolysed Fish

Wood Vinegar

Book recommendations:

Michael Phillips, The Holistic Orchard

Nicole Masters, For The Love of Soil

Education/Inspiration:

Permadynamics, permaculture based training, PDCs and short courses

Elaine Ingham - Soil food web

Matt powers - Regerating soil

Paul Stamets - Fungi

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love your support:

⭐ Jump into your podcast app and leave a rating & review
💌 Send me a question or share your thoughts
🌱 Tell me what’s happening in your garden right now

🔗 Connect with Me

📍 Website: whitestrawberriespodcast.com
📸 Instagram: @whitestrawberriespodcast

May your strawberries be white and your soil full of carbon 🌱

🎧 Connect with me.