EAS has become a significant pest in the East. This transcript of discussion from 2010-2011 sets the stage for further advances.

Healthy spray choices have direct impact on microbes. This Australian paper provides useful perspective on kelp, fish, humates, molasses, and the like.

Field trials over 3 years in a commercial organic orchard in Switzerland tested the efficacy of Armicarb (potassium-bi-carbonate) for flower thinning in organic apple production.

Taking readings of plant brix in a consistent manner provides growers with a measurable view of "health metabolism" from either a system or action (nutrient spray) perspective. 

Tim Bates of the Apple Farm in Philo, California, reports in on the efficacy and costs of the holistic program versus sulphur. An entertaining and informative read for all neem evangelists!

Comparisons of holistic and organic methods to curtail cedar apple rust will help us understand better courses of action. Here's the framework for making trials useful.

Calcium Tea and Silica Tea come teeming with biological and nutirional wallop that radically improve leaf vigor and overall tree health. Here you find the basic recipe to brew these foliar supplements as well as a nutritional analysis of each tea.

Quantum Thinking introduces a deeper approach to photosynthetic bacteria. The surer means of orchard application is direct introduction of these powerhouse organisms in the spray tank on the day of spraying.

This sample genome analysis was done by Washington State University from leaf samples. The parentage of unknown apples will be more readily revealed as such databases grow.

Brian Caldwell of Hemlock Grove Farm in West Danby, New York, reports in on use of potassium bicarbonate as a post-infection eradicant to keep apple scab at bay.

Bioavailability of trace minerals in both the rhizosphere and by means of foliar application involves antagonistic as well as synergistic relationships. Thanks to Lawrence Mayhew of Agri-Dynamics for providing this fascinating chart.

Despite the recent loss of Michael Phillips, the members of the Berkshire Roundtable conducted a spirited gathering.