Hi RI Fruit Growers,
Our May twilight meeting will be on May 21 at 5:30 at Barden Family Orchard in North Scituate, RI. There is much to see at the Bardens. They have apples, peaches, blueberries, raspberries as well as a new farm stand. Their phone number is 401-934-1413.

The cost of the meeting is $20 per farm ($25 for non RIFGA members) and two hours of pesticide recertification credits are available.

Directions:
Take Exit 6 off I-295 for Rt. 6 west
Travel west on Rt. 6 for 2.8 miles Continue west on Rt. 6 bypass for .5 miles
Turn right onto Rt. 116 (West Greenville Rd.) for .9 miles
Turn left onto Pole Bridge Rd. for .7 miles
Turn right on Elmdale Rd.
Barden Orchard is on right

I intend to get out to several orchards on Thursday where I‘ll primarily look for apple scab, European red mites, leaf miner mines and plum curculio scars. I will email a new message tomorrow, post it on the URI Apple IPM website (www.uri.edu/research/ipm), and record it on the telephone message: 949-1456.

May 14

I just got back from visiting a few orchards. The few that I scouted looked very good! I found very little apple scab – and hopefully everyone is scab-free at this time. Scout the underside of McIntosh leaves or any trees that you think were not adequately protected. If you find more than a lesion or two, apply Captan at full strength.

We are at the end of Primary apple scab season in Providence County. Orchards in Washington and Newport County are farther behind and have not reached the end of Primary scab season. Lesions from previous infection periods can appear over the next two weeks, so even if your trees are free from scab now you should keep protected with a fungicide in case scab lesions occur.

I did find more European red mites. I think this spring made it very challenging to apply dormant oil. Check the underside of fruit cluster leaves for the small, red mites. You will need a handlens unless you are under 30! If you find 1-2 mites per fruit cluster leaf, consider applying a miticide such as Apollo, Savey or Zeal.

I did not see any leafminer mines, nor any white apple leafhoppers. I also did not find any plum curculio scars. I know it has been chilly and plum curculio prefer it hot – but they really like high humidity. Plum curculio could become active any day. Some fruit is large enough for plum curculio to attack (>7 mm). If you have applied Sevin as a thinning spray, this will protect your fruit for a few days. If you have not applied Sevin, consider applying an insecticide such as Imidan, Avaunt, Calypso or Actara. Calypso and Actara will also control leafminers. If you are treating your trees organically, now is the time to apply Surround (kaolin clay).

Next message will be sent on Friday, May 22nd.