Hi Fruit Growers,
Who wants to sign up for SkyBit? For $10 per month you can have daily weather emails. You can get more information at http://www.skybit.com/cgi-bin/nav.cgi

The weather data from SkyBit is used in computer models to generate Orchard Radar. This information is available to you without getting the daily emails from SkyBit. Orchard Radar includes information such as when primary apple scab season is over, when insect pests are likely to show up, when trees need to be sprayed again for sooty blotch and flyspeck… There is a whole lot of useful information – it’s a great tool. This will be available at the URI Apple IPM website: https://www.uri.edu/research/ipm/
Hopefully this will be ready by the end of this week.

2009 New England Tree Fruit Guides are in. There are a lot of chemical changes from last year. The guide includes information on apples, pears, peaches , plums and cherries. The cost is $30. Let me know if you want me to send you a copy.

Another great tool is the newsletter from UMASS – Healthy Fruit. You can sign up and pay for a subscription at http://www.umass.edu/fruitadvisor/fruitsubscriptions.htm
This costs $50 per year.

I plan on recording the first fruit pest message of 2009 on Thursday, April 2. The number to call is 401-949-1456. I plan to report on whether or not winter moths have begun hatching. My thoughts at this time are that only orchards and blueberry farms close to the coast need to be worried about spraying for winter moths. In the past few years we have seen high numbers of winter moths in Bristol, Warwick, and Providence. I am most concerned with farms in these areas and also Newport County. Winter moth has not been a problem away from the coast – so far.

So if your orchard is in a winter moth danger zone, consider applying an insecticide in early April. Winter moth caterpillars are pretty easy to kill, if the pesticide is on the buds before the caterpillars enter the buds. Imidan or most any insecticide should be effective. Last year I found the first caterpillars April 8. I’ll start looking again this week and let you know what I find. You can email me or call if you have question.

See you soon!
Heather