4/23/12
Hello fruit growers,
I heard reports of 2.5 – 4 inches of rain Sunday. This means practically no fungicide is left on your trees. It looks like we’ll get on again/off again showers over the next couple of days. This is peak apple scab season – and your trees are probably not protected. Spray between showers with a protectant fungicide such as Captan, Manzate, Syllit, Polyram – or some combination.

If your trees weren’t well protected going into Sunday’s rain, apply a protectant fungicide plus an SI such as Rally or Inspire. Don’t spray the SI’s while the leaves are wet because they will wash right off. The protectant fungicides stick much better.

The Tree Fruit Management Guide is available online at
http://fruit.umext.umass.edu/2012netfmg/

Hard copies can still be purchased through me for $35.

Once your trees reach petal fall it is time for an insecticide. Imidan still is a good choice to control many of the insects present at petal fall (plum curculio, European apple sawfly, Oriental fruit moth). Many growers want to get away from spraying organophosphates (OP) such as Imidan. Other effective insecticides at petal fall include Avaunt, Calypso and Actara.

Good to see many of you at the twilight meeting last week. Next meeting will be at Noquochoke Orchard in Westport, MA – probably on May 17th.