Peach Flower Bud Survival — update by Dr. Renae Moran Peach flower bud survival at Highmoor Farm is less than expected considering the mild winter temperatures. It could be that some of the varieties in my collection started bud growth too soon this winter, a problem that is common when temperatures stay above freezing most […]
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Why? Highbush blueberry bushes should be pruned every year to produce regular crops of good quality fruit. Good pruning opens up the bush to more light and air movement, which will reduce disease problems. It also improves berry flavor and size, and encourages earlier ripening. When? Prune the plants when they are fully dormant, in […]
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This newsletter includes: An opportunity to participate in research Announcements of upcoming meetings Announcement for an orchard manager position Honeycrisp and Bitter Pit Prediction Research This summer, Dr. Renae Moran will be measuring fruit calcium in Honeycrisp orchards around the state to see how well it predicts bitter pit in storage. She is seeking growers […]
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Researchers at Highmoor have summarized their tarping research with colleagues from Cornell University in this new research paper. To read the full article, click on the image below.
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Weather Update The expected cold temperatures this weekend are not likely to be cold enough to kill peach or cherry buds in southern Maine. We measured hardiness in peach buds last week and found them to have a few degrees more hardiness than last year at this time, probably hardy to -7 °F for about […]
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Although strawberries have long been grown successfully in Maine, they are not particularly hardy plants. However, because of the low growth habit of the plants, and their tendency to grow in protected areas near wood lines in the wild, they are often covered with leaves and snow during the coldest parts of the winter, which […]
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Maturity Report and Update The photos show unusual markings that have shown up in a few orchards in the northeast. They look like splotches of unblushed peel. If you have seen this in your orchard, please contact Renae Moran (207-713-7083). She is working with another specialist to narrow down potential causes so that this can […]
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David Handley, Vegetable and Small Fruit Specialist; James Dill, Pest Management Specialist, Phil Fanning, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Entomology, Christina Howard, Maine New Farmer Project Manager This will be the final issue of the Spotted Wing Drosophila Alert for the 2023 season. Spotted wing drosophila counts declined substantially in all of our trapping locations this […]
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Maturity Report and Guest Article by Kendra McClure Maturity Report McIntosh: Both strains are past the stage to pick for storage based on starch index and signs of fruit drop during limb shaking. Trees at Highmoor Farm had about 20% fruit drop with a good shake of the limbs. Cortland: Cortland is at a stage […]
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David Handley, Vegetable and Small Fruit Specialist; James Dill, Pest Management Specialist, Phil Fanning, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Entomology, Christina Howard, Maine New Farmer Project Manager Spotted wing drosophila trap counts continue to rise in most locations this week, as we would expect at this time in the season, especially with the relatively mild weather […]
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