Author: Terence Bradshaw
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Vermont Apple IPM: Scab is active!
Orchards are at or around the tight cluster bud stage in Vermont, which means that there is plenty of tissue out there for apple scab to infect, and the disease is in a critical management phase. Orchards should be covered with an effective contact fungicide (mancozeb, captan, sulfur if organic) going into any expected wetting…
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VT Apple IPM: Scab season has started, NEWA orientation
At UVM Catamount Farm orchards, we were at late silver tip bud stage last Monday, April 18, when I applied a copper spray. Bud stage tracking is a critical IPM and general management tool to help track orchard activities that correlate to tree phenology. My observations that support these comments are often made from a…
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And we’re off….early season orchard management in Vermont
NEW this year. Please report local apple bud stages here to make our reports more accurate: https://go.uvm.edu/22applebudstage Upcoming weather this coming week looks warm, above freezing, anyway, for the Champlain and Connecticut Valleys. Orchards at UVM Hort Farm are at not quite at silver tip, but warm weather this weekend and early next week should…
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Planning for 2022 growing season in Vermont vineyards; VitiNord
After what felt like a long winter, it seems safe to say that spring is around the corner. I hope everyone’s pruning season is going well, this is the home stretch for sure. I often recommend that growers look for bud damage before commencing final pruning to adjust for buds that may have been killed…
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Two regulatory efforts on agricultural water to stay abreast of
Hello everyone: There are two regulatory issues happening now that apple and grape growers should keep an eye on and consider getting involved in the process. The first is a bill in the Vermont legislature, H.466, which has already passed the house and is in the Senate Natural Resources committee this week. This bill would…
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The 2022 apple growing season is just around the corner…
The growing season is just around the corner after what I suspect was a last-gasp snowfall over the past weekend. This should start my toughly weekly notices, but please, send me any questions to hae\ve in the meantime. A few items that I’d like to remind growers about include: Get your sprayer ready. This probably…
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Schedule changeup, final NEFC webinars
There is a slight schedule change in the last few Northeast Extension Fruit Consortium webinars. Register for any/all at: https://ag.umass.edu/fruit/news-events/northeast-extension-fruit-consortium Tuesday, March 15, 2022 – 12:00pm (new date) Plum Curculio Research- Update and Management Online Free Speaker(s) / Instructor(s): Dr. Jaime Piñero, Extension Professor, Stockbridge School of Agriculture, UMass Extension Fruit Team and Mr. Jeremy…
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Northeast Regional Webinar on Proposed Agricultural Water Rule
Passing this on from the VT Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets. This rule will affect nearly all produce growers once it is fully implemented.-TB From: Sweet, Kristina (she/her) Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2022 2:57 PM To: VTVEGANDBERRY Subject: Northeast Regional Webinar on Proposed Agricultural Water Rule Dear Vegetable & Berry Growers, Those of you…
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Grant opportunity: USDA Value-Added Producer Grants
The call is open for producers, processors, cooperatives, associations, and similar firms to apply for USDA Value-Added Producer Grants. For more information, go to: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-programs/value-added-producer-grants. Proposals are due at the end of April. The VAPG program funds business and market expansion with the goal of increasing income, jobs, and economic activity through conversion of commodities…
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Precision pruning of mature tall spindle apples
The Lake Ontario Fruit Program released an excellent video that details precision pruning of mature tall spindle trees to help reduce biennialism and reduce subsequent thinning need. See it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29cF8yOKup0