STRAWBERRY BLOOM = TIME TO PREVENT FRUIT ROT Spider Mite Populations Growing, White Grubs Found in Weak Plantings Situation: The mostly cool and damp weather has slowed strawberry development across the state. Early varieties such as Wendy and Honeoye are coming into bloom. Early fields under rowcovers are in full bloom in the southern part […]
Read more
Potential Botrytis Leaf Blight Symptoms of Botrytis leaf blight were found on garlic at all scouting locations this week – Buxton, Monmouth, Topsham, and Washington, ME. Samples of symptomatic plants are being sent to the UMaine Plant Diagnostic Lab for confirmation. Conditions certainly have been favorable for development of this pathogen, as discussed in last […]
Read more
In this newsletter: Bud Stages Announcement Flower Bud Development at Highmoor Farm McIntosh apples have passed tight cluster and have reached the early stage of pink. Honeycrisp and Gala trees are in the late stage of tight cluster, but king blooms are showing pink. Asian pears are showing some white. European pears were under an […]
Read more
STRAWBERRY BLOOM BEGINS IN SOUTHERN MAINE No Insect Problems Yet, Spider Mites Found Everywhere; Bloom Sprays Should Target Gray Mold Situation: Early strawberries under rowcovers have just started to bloom in the southern part of the state. Overall, fields look good, some slightly ahead of average development for this time. As expected, there is evidence […]
Read more
Disease Forecasting Cool, wet weather this week has slowed down GDD accumulations for insect pests and instead favored the development of fungal diseases. Three major fungal pathogens of garlic are combined into one onion diseases tool on NEWA, which is helpful because controls for all three are similar. This issue will break down how to […]
Read more
In this newsletter: Bud stages at Highmoor Farm Brown Rot Blossom Blight of Stone Fruit Prohexadione and aggravation of bitter pit in Honeycrisp Thinning Peaches with Acceede SG® Flower Bud Development Flower bud development has been, thankfully, slow this spring. Honeycrisp apples are still at half-inch green. McIntosh and Gala are just starting tight cluster. […]
Read more
Disease Forecast Alert: Conditions in Bangor, Lewiston, and Milton, NH may be favorable for onion downy mildew and Botrytis leaf blast development in coming days. See NEWA onion diseases for details – more on these in a future newsletter. Onion Maggot Onion maggot (Delia antiqua) can be a serious pest of allium crops. Overwintered pupae […]
Read more
Bud development has progressed from silver tip to green tip and is probably beyond green tip in southern Maine. This is the traditional time to begin fungicide sprays to prevent apple scab in McIntosh and other highly susceptible varieties. It’s also the time for the copper spray which functions as a micronutrient fertilizer, fungicide and […]
Read more
Managing Garlic Fertility Garlic is a moderate to heavy feeder, and careful nutrient management will aid plant development while mitigating the risk of foliar infections. The first step in any fertility program is testing your soil before planting. You can find more information about soil tests and their interpretation in this bulletin. The table below, […]
Read more
Garlic Season Begins Garlic in southern and midcoast Maine is emerging and it is time to prepare for managing pests in your crop. Here are the basics: Anticipate potential problems by considering the pests or diseases you encountered in previous years. Most garlic diseases persist, and several insect pests overwinter, in soil and crop residues. […]
Read more