Apple Maturity at Highmoor Farm Paulared apples taste great this week. Zestar was not tested this week. McIntosh was firm and sour in today’s taste tests. Some of your customers may prefer it this way, but it is not ready to harvest for storage. One of our blocks had seedless apples, probably killed by the […]
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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: Populations of spotted wing drosophila remained relatively steady this week, with captures higher in some fields, lower in other fields, but no major changes, except where […]
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MOTH COUNTS LOWER THIS WEEK Most Fresh Silking Corn Still Requires Protection SITUATION Cool night temperatures appear to have slowed corn pest activity this week as moth counts were lower at most locations. Growers are looking forward to a strong market for the holiday weekend, and supply and quality are looking good, in spite of […]
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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: We were unable to collect samples from our traps last week, due to staffing shortages. So, the numbers collected this week reflect two weeks’ worth of […]
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CORN EARWORM PRESSURE GROWS Fresh Silking Corn Remaining Requires Protection SITUATION Last week’s storms appear to have brought up a wave of corn earworm moths, as numbers climbed in most locations this week. Other pest numbers have been lower in most fields, with the exception of four-legged species. Deer, raccoons, skunks and coyotes have been […]
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Apple Maturity at Highmoor Farm Paulared apples are not quite at their best for eating, but some of your customers might like them this way. Starch index of 1.5. Zestar! Starch index is 2.8. They are still starchy and lacking in color. Flavor should be good, based on how ours taste. We have another summer […]
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CORN EARWORM PRESSURE HIGH Silking Corn Requires Protection at Most Sites SITUATION We’ve had another week with some heavy rain showers, making pest management in corn fields challenging. There are some reports of light infestations of caterpillars in ears, despite regular sprays, which may be due to poor efficacy because of sprayed materials washing off […]
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Predicted McIntosh Harvest Dates Sanford: Sept. 18 Turner: Sept. 23 Madison: Sept. 26 Caribou: Sept. 24 The predicted midpoint of the optimum harvest window for cold storage is influenced by the degree days in the 40 days after petal fall. This is based on a study dating back to 1960 and using an older strain […]
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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: Numbers of spotted wing drosophila fruit flies caught in our traps have risen at all locations this week, and larvae have been observed in fruit at […]
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CORN EARWORM PRESSURE HIGHER IN SOUTH Moth Counts Highly Variable by Location SITUATION Corn harvest is in full swing, although supply has been spotty from site to site. Continued heavy rains have plagued growers’ ability to spray and harvest the fields. Moth captures in pheromone traps were highly variable from site to site this week, […]
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