Tree Fruit Newsletter — November 6, 2024
In this newsletter:
- Meadow voles
- Announcements for Upcoming Meetings
Protecting Trees from Meadow Voles
From the pest management guide:
Voles : New England Tree Fruit Management Guide : UMass Amherst
Meadow vole injury is large areas of missing bark on the trunk or low branches, with small parallel tooth marks. It becomes evident as the snow melts in early spring. Apple trees of all ages are susceptible to injury by meadow voles, but young trees up to about age 15 and those on dwarfing rootstocks are often the most likely to be damaged. In addition to apple, voles attack other orchard trees: peaches, nectarines, and occasionally cherries.
Maintaining a closely-mowed orchard floor greatly reduces the chances of meadow vole buildup. It is the most effective single technique to protect trees from meadow vole. It has little or no effect on pine vole. Keeping the orchard floor short exposes the rodents to their numerous predators, including hawks, owls, crows and ravens, weasels, skunks, cats, dogs, foxes and coyotes. One or two mowings a year are not enough, since meadow vole reproduces so prolifically. Prunings which are left in the orchard, piles of debris and weedy orchard borders also offer good cover for meadow voles. Mowing equipment that finely chops the vegetation is better at reducing cover than sickle bars which leave a protective canopy of cut vegetation under which the rodents hide.
The maintenance of weed-free, under-tree strips also reduces cover for meadow voles. Herbicides are usually used for this purpose, but we won’t cover herbicide options here. Weed-free under-tree strips can affect pine voles somewhat since they would normally feed on the roots of many of the under-tree weeds which are controlled. Such effect is greater when you apply the weed control program over a long period of time.
Fallen apples (or those hanging low enough to touch the ground) are very attractive to both pine and meadow voles. Elimination of drops is of key importance where the use of rodenticides is planned, since the rodents often prefer apples over the poisoned bait.
For additional information on other methods of preventing this damage, visit the New England Tree Fruit Management Guide.
Upcoming Meetings
We will be planning the Maine Pomological Society meeting next week. If you have any requests for speakers or topics, send them to me, please. The tree fruit meeting will be held Wed. Jan. 15.
The New England Vegetable & Fruit Conference will be held in Manchester, New Hampshire on December 17, 18, 19, 2024. Program information and registration can be found at the website.
The Maine Ag. Trades Show
2025 Dates and Times: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, January 14, 15, and 16 opening at 9:00 AM daily to the public.
Their website: State of Maine Agricultural Trades Show: Maine DACF
There is no admission fee to attend the show. Please check the conference listings for any pre -registration and course fee requirements.
Show Location: The Augusta Civic Center is located at 76 Community Drive, Augusta, ME 04330.
PreSeason Tree Fruit IPM Meeting
March, 19, 2025. Location TBD.
Renae Moran
University of Maine Cooperative Extension: Tree Fruits
PO Box 179
Monmouth, ME 04259
(207) 933-2100
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