Cooperative Extension at Highmoor Farm

Maturity Report and Storage Reminders Peaches and Plums Peach harvest was completed this week. Long John plums will be ready to pick soon. If you need to store them longer than a few days, they can be picked now. Apples McIntosh has reached a stage where it is ok for short-term storage. If you still […]

Maturity Report and Storage Reminders Peaches Peaches ready this week: 2nd picking for Messina and 1st for Autumnstar. Both are good varieties. We are also picking Castleton plums. I am finding much less brown rot now that the weather has turned dry. The quality of peaches after a week in cold storage is also better […]

Maturity Report Peaches Peaches we are picking now: Blushingstar, PF23 and Messina Apples McIntosh has developed some sweetness and should be good for immediate sales, if you have not already started selling them. At this stage, they should also be good for long-term storage, although susceptible to storage scald. Storage scald is prevented by fogging […]

Maturity Report Peaches Peaches we are picking now: Coralstar, Veteran and Glowingstar Apples McIntosh is beginning to taste ready. However, the dark green peel color indicates it’s too early to pick for storage yet. Honeycrisp is showing signs of ripening in some blocks and has acceptable flavor. It is not ready to harvest for storage, […]

Maturity Report Peaches Peaches we are picking now: Coralstar and PF17 Coralstar is the better of the two varieties we picked this week. We have it in two different orchards where it ripens a week apart, so we will still be picking it next week. Veteran, PF23 and Blushingstar should be ready soon. We also […]

In this newsletter: Maturity Report Observations Announcements Maturity Report Peaches Peaches we are picking now: Raritan Rose, Frost Peaches we will pick next: Coralstar, PF17, Veteran Coralstar is ripening ahead of schedule because our trees have a very light crop load. Apples Paulareds at Highmoor Farm have been harvested. We do not have Gingergold, but […]

In this newsletter: Maturity Report ReTain Instructions Maturity Report Peaches Peaches we are picking now: Lucky 13, PF15A Peaches we will pick next: Blazingstar, Starfire Apples Paulared starch index is 3.5. Ready for a general harvest at Highmoor Farm. Pay attention to preharvest intervals for recently applied materials. Starch index is measured on a scale […]

In this newsletter: Maturity Report McIntosh ReTain Dates Orchard observations Maturity Report Peaches Peaches we are picking now: Garnet Beauty, an early strain of Redhaven. We are done harvesting Summer Serenade and PF 8 Ball. The better of the two is Summer Serenade. We are also done with harvest of July Rose which is a […]

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 […]