In this newsletter: Observations Announcements Orchard Observations Peaches are at the pit hardening phase. Hopefully, fruit thinning is nearly complete by now. This supposedly helps with brown rot control later on. Breaking up fruit that are clustered or in close contact will also help with spray coverage, disease and pest control. My initial thoughts on […]
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CORN EARWORM AND FALL ARMYWORM! Early Arrival of Corn Pests Impacts Management of Early Corn SITUATION Early planted corn is in the late whorl to pre-tassel stage in the southern Maine. A few fields started under clear plastic or rowcovers is now silking. This week our pheromone traps have caught all three of the major […]
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In this newsletter: Return Bloom Sprays Summer Tour Announcement Return Bloom Sprays Some orchard blocks may have a higher than normal crop load which can inhibit the formation of flower buds. Fruit trees form next year’s flower buds in the summer beforehand. With a heavy crop, the fruits exude a hormone from their seeds that […]
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2024 SWEET CORN PEST SEASON BEGINS! No Insect Pests Yet in Maine; Corn Borer, Earworm Reported in Massachusetts The 2024 University of Maine Cooperative Extension Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for sweet corn is getting underway. We have set up pheromone traps at volunteer farms to monitor the adult (moth) stages of European corn borer, […]
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HARVEST SEASON UNDERWAY IN SOUTHERN MAINE Anthracnose Fruit Rot Infecting Early Fruit Situation: Southern strawberry fields will be opening this week or early next week. The crop size and quality looks very good in most fields. The predicted warm weather next week will hasten ripening, so if you haven’t started advertising yet, don’t wait. Most […]
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EARLY BERRIES NEAR HARVEST IN SOUTHERN MAINE Insect Pest Counts Lower This Week; Gray Mold Threat Remains with Recent Rains Situation: Strawberry fruit development has progressed rapidly with warm weather over the past week. A few ripe berries were being harvested in a field in Wells that were grown under rowcovers. Insect and mite activity […]
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In this newsletter: Chemical Thinning Apples with Accede® The Bottom Line, a newsletter from Cornell Univ. Extension Chemical Thinning Apples with Accede As we approach the end of the chemical thinning window, fruitlets become resistant to thinning with 6-BA (Maxcel) and NAA. A new thinner became available recently that has some thinning action when the […]
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TARNISHED PLANT BUG THREATENS STRAWBERRY BLOSSOMS Botrytis Fruit Rot Risk Elevated Due to Recent Rains Situation: Warmer temperatures have advanced both plant and insect development this week. Green fruit are showing on early strawberry varieties in southern Maine, while late varieties are just coming into bloom. Tarnished plant bug nymphs and spider mite populations are […]
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In this newsletter: Chemical Thinning at Early Fruit Set Observations Chemical Thinning at Early Fruit Set King fruit diameter is averaging 7 mm for McIntosh and Cortland, and 6 mm for Honeycrisp at Highmoor Farm. Based on the signs of initial fruit set on Macs, my guess is that we need to thin more aggressively […]
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STRAWBERRY BLOOM IN SOUTHERN MAINE Insect Pest Counts Very Low; Bloom Sprays Should Target Gray Situation: Early strawberry varieties are coming into full bloom in the southern part of the state. Overall, fields look very good, except where significant flooding occurred, or deer have been feeding. Insect pest numbers continue to be very low, and […]
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