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Orchard insect pests: biology, points of vulnerability, trap thresholds, spray specifics, natural predators, ecosystem balance.
Re: Root cellars and cold storage. - 4 months ago
We don't really store apples for sale long term but we do keep a lot around for ourselves and friends in our Coolbot-cooled cold storage rooms well into March and April. With graded fruit (i.e., no fruit rots) we see essentially no loss in storage on Goldrush or Galarina. We do keep the apples in plastic liner bags for long term storage. Our general feeling hitherto from a financial andby Chris McGuire - Sensible Equipment
Re: curculio progress - 4 months ago
I agree with Brian that the 309 b50 post-PF is not good guidance for timing the end of PC sprays for an organic grower who is not applying a lethal pesticide. My understanding without having read the original research is that timing predicts the end of PC migration into the orchard, but does not mean that all adults have died... In SW Wisconsin with petal fall typically 5/15-5/25, we have sevby Chris McGuire - Bug by Bug
Re: Japanese Beetle Strategies - 4 months ago
i just thought I would weigh in with several years experience using beetleGONE, the Bt product mentioned above. At 2.5 lbs/acre it has given pretty immediate good results but needs to be reapplied every 7 (max 10) days because of constant influx of new beetles during peak populations. It is quite pricey. When I talked to the manufacturer they said the beetleGONE trials against PC were someby Chris McGuire - Bug by Bug
Re: curculio progress - 7 months ago
Regarding PC adults in summer, they do feed on the fruit, in the trees, according to the references I have seen. For example https://learningstore.extension.wisc.edu/products/plum-curculio-p1889. They leave small holes in the fruit, a few mm wide. Gus Howitt's book says that the adults emerge about 50-55 days after eggs are laid in spring, which typically works out to mid/late July to earby Chris McGuire - Bug by Bug
Re: curculio progress - 7 months ago
Thanks for the report. We have sprayed Grandevo 4x in both of the last 2 years, 2 lbs per acre and still see some PC damage, on a broadly similar level to what we have always seen. Marrone's recommendation for Surround+Grandevo is here: I was told that the reason to combine Grandevo with Surround is that the PC gets covered with Surround and then grooms itself and in the process ingby Chris McGuire - Bug by Bug
Re: curculio progress - 7 months ago
I am not an expert on Grandevo, or spray adjuvants and water hardness, but for what it's worth: [*] We do monitor pH and try to maintain between 6-8 [*] We have hard water, but have not attempted to use a water conditioner [*] I think Marrone reps have recommended using Nufilm as a spreader-sticker with Grandevo+Surround. We do use Nu-film with all of our insect control sprays during thby Chris McGuire - Bug by Bug
Re: bicarb for scab and mixing - 7 months ago
Thanks for sharing the great info. Mike, are the Ecoswing / Cedar apple rust trials published? I cannot find anything on google...by Chris McGuire - Fungal Pathogens
Re: bicarb for scab and mixing - 7 months ago
Very interesting! Do you have CAR in your orchard? How has the potassium bicarb + potassium silicate worked for that?by Chris McGuire - Fungal Pathogens
Re: bicarb for scab and mixing - 7 months ago
With regards to post-infection or during-infection sprays of potassium bicarb for scab: yes, we have tried that for the past two springs. Saw no scab at all, period, last year, and none so far this year, but I could certainly be missing it given the enormous amount of Surround which is now covering the orchard and making it hard to see anything on the leaves... BUT our orchard is primarily scabby Chris McGuire - Fungal Pathogens
Priscilla - 7 months ago
Not my favorite or my least favorite variety, but an interesting one. A very early release from the PRI breeding program for scab-immune varieties. Generally high-yielding and annual cropping. Fairly vigorous and we have to be vigilant with pruning to keep the canopy open. Priscilla fruits grown in the shade are utterly green, exceptionally insipid, and altogether without merit. We have grby Chris McGuire - Apples
Re: bicarb for scab and mixing - 7 months ago
This is a good point Brian. What concentration of potassium bicarbonate are you using to raise pH above 8? We spray potassium bicarb for disease control, both scab and summer diseases; we are usually spraying 5 lbs Carb-o-nator/100 gallons, which is really only 4.25 a.i. actual potassium bicarb/100 gallons. That brings the pH of our hard water to just about 8. We have sprayed Dipel, Madex,by Chris McGuire - Fungal Pathogens
Re: 2022 Thinning trials - 8 months ago
Hi, Thank you to everyone for their thinning thoughts. Such an important topic. Thought I would share my observations from doing thinning trials for the past 4 seasons in southwest WI. We have tried several products at different timings and concentrations, often with split rows, where different part of the same row are sprayed differently. 1. Results with all products have been frustratinglby Chris McGuire - Organic Thinning
Re: Galarina - 9 months ago
Hi Liz! We have grown it for many years. Stores very well, sweet juicy apple with mild flavor - not great in my opinion but many customers are happy with it. Very prone to overcropping. Pretty healthy trees and fairly reliable annual cropper. Ripens mid October for us usually 10/8-10/5, after Winecrisp and Sundance but before Goldrush if that helps you. Chrisby Chris McGuire - Apples