May 22, 2009

I hope all orchards are protected with a full rate of an insecticide as well as a fungicide. I expect plum curculio to be very active this weekend.

Now is a good time to scout for the small sap feeding mines of apple blotch leafminer. Look for the small, silvery mines on the underside of fruit cluster leaves. If you find more than 1 mine per fruit cluster leaf, consider applying Provado or AgriMek at this time. Both these chemicals will also control white apple leafhopper, which can be present now. White apple leafhoppers may be a problem in trees that did not receive Sevin for thinning.

European red mites should be starting to lay eggs for summer generations now. There may still be time to apply a miticide before many eggs are laid. At this time of year the best choices include Apollo, Savey or Zeal.