July 9, 2009
The wet weather continues, and so should your fungicide coverage. Some areas received over two inches of rain this week – that means you should reapply fungicides to those areas. I see at least a little bit of scab in every orchard. This shouldn’t be a problem as long as you continue to protect the fruit with fungicide.

Apple maggot fly captures have been reported in Massachusetts. We certainly don’t need to wait for a rain to soften up the ground and allow apple maggot flies emerge like we do some years. Early season apples such as Jersey Mac, Redfree and Ginger Gold are susceptible now, where as later maturing varieties are attractive later in the season. Protect these early fruit with an insecticide such as Imidan, Calypso, Assail, Avaunt, Altacore or Delegate.

I do see European red mites in some orchards, but very little bronzing damage. The threshold for July is 5 mites per leaf. Possible miticides include Acramite, Apollo, Kanemite, Nexter, Onager, Portal, Savey, Vendex and Zeal. Don’t use the same miticide or a miticide from the same group more than once per season. Apollo, Savey, Onager are in the same group. Nexter and Portal are in the same group.

I know I’m crazy, but I’m offering to take leaf tissue analysis samples again this year. The cost per sample is around $27. Let me know if you are interested in me collecting samples. This offer is for commercial growers only. Email or call me at 874-2967.

Hope to see you at Tougas Family Farm on Wednesday, July 15th.