Category: Apple IPM

Foliar nutrient analysis – It is the time in the growing season to collect leaf samples for analysis. Samples are usually collected between July 15 – Aug. 15. The UVM Agriculture and Environmental Testing Lab can provide analysis, but at this time their output does not generate fertility recommendations. The following are potential options of…

The time has come to hang apple maggot fly (AMF) traps in Vermont orchards. These are some of the easiest pests to manage using an IPM strategy, so there’s really no excuse. The idea is to assess the population in the orchard before applying prophylactic sprays. By using red sticky traps, you can time treatments…

This will be a fairly brief newsletter today as I am away all week at a conference in Chicago. Feel free to e-mail or text me if you have specific questions, I will keep up the best that I can. -TB We are entering into what I consider early summer insect management season. The main…

Orchard video covering this week’s material is here: YouTube 5/30/2025 Vermont orchard are at petal fall (inland and upland) to generally 10-12 mm fruit size in the lower elevation valleys. Primary apple scab ascospore release is complete for all orchards, so apple scab is not a major management consideration only if you know the disease…

This was meant to be sent out with some field pictures yesterday morning, but my teaching job and administrative duties all collided into a backup of worktodo this week. Hopefully it’s timely enough to be useful. -TB After a few decent days of pollination during bloom last week in between the cold, cloudy, showery weather,…

With welcome, warm, sunny weather, we are seeing epiphytic infection potential rise in virtually all orchards around the state. We are expecting by Thursday or Friday to have high enough populations of bacteria to cause fire blight infections on trees with open blossoms. That will include most orchards in the state which may either be…

As I write this just after noon on Saturday, May 10, it looks like this long stretch of rain we have been experiencing for the past week is wrapping up a bit earlier than expected. Over the past seven to ten days around the state we have seen rainfall totals from less than two to…

Reminder: TREE FRUIT TWILIGHT MEETINGS Thursday and Friday, May 8 and 9, 4:00-6:00 pm Join the Vermont Tree Fruit Growers Association and UVM Extension on May 8 at Yates Family Orchard, 1074 Davis Road, Hinesburg, VT or May 9 at Wellwood Orchard at 529 Wellwood Orchards Road, Springfield, VT. Topics discussed include tree fruit management…

Vermont orchards are generally at green tip bud stage for the coolest locations in the state to tight cluster in warmer locations. Apple scab continues to be the primary pest management consideration of concern. I recommend maintaining a protectant fungicide and, given the off and on wetting of the last few days that has likely…

The recent warm weather has advanced apple bud stages significantly — we are at the half-inch green stage at UVM HREC and continued warm weather should keep things moving. I recorded a video at the orchard yesterday showing the bud development at the farm and discussing the need for disease management this week. Thankfully, there…