Cooperative Extension at Highmoor Farm

In this newsletter: Maturity Report Predicted McIntosh Harvest and ReTain Dates Preharvest intervals and sprays Maturity Report Cool temperatures have slowed the ripening of stone fruit on and off the tree. When picked at the partial-ripe stage, they are taking four days to reach eating quality. Partial-ripe is when they are still firm, but not […]

In this newsletter: Maturity Report Still Time to Collect Leaf Samples Predicted McIntosh Harvest and ReTain Dates Summer Pruning Peaches Ready to Pick This Week at Highmoor Farm We began peach and plum harvest yesterday. Shiro will be ready to pick soon, but we don’t have that variety anymore, so check your orchards for signs […]

In this newsletter: Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) in Stone Fruit Time to Collect Leaf Samples Summer Tour Announcement Spotted Wing Drosophila in Cherries Unfortunately, SWD has been found in a cherry orchard in Maine. As a reminder, stone fruits are susceptible to damage by this insect pest. Plum, peach and cherry fruits become soft as […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

In this newsletter: Highmoor Farm Bud Stages Chemical Thinning at Early Fruit Set of Apple and Pear Starting Calcium Sprays Orchard Observations Highmoor Farm Bud Stages McIntosh apples – full bloom and just starting petal fall Honeycrisp apples – full bloom Pears – petal fall Sweet and sour cherries – a mix of petal fall […]

In this newsletter: Highmoor Farm Bud Stages Chemical Thinning at Petal Fall Bloom thinning using lime sulfer Highmoor Bud Stages McIntosh apples – king bloom Honeycrisp apples – late in the pink stage Pears – full bloom Sweet and sour cherries – full bloom Peaches and Plums – full bloom and petal fall depending on […]

Highmoor Bud Stages McIntosh apples – late half-inch green Honeycrisp apples – quarter-inch green Sweet cherries – green tip Peaches – Green calyx and red calyx, depending on variety Pears – budburst and green cluster, depending on variety Promalin® for Frost Protection Promalin applied within 24 hours after a freeze can increase apple fruit set […]