Category: Apples
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Follow up from 2/20 VTFGA / UVM Fruit meeting
Thanks, everyone, who made it out to the 130th annual VTFGA / UVM Fruit Meeting yesterday in Middlebury, VT. We just avoided the snow until the end, and I’m sure at least a few including myself had dicey drives home. We appreciate the effort and participation. For those who attended on Zoom, I’m glad we…
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Save the Date: 130th VTFGA / UVM Fruit Program annual meeting February 20, 2026
The 130th (???) annual meeting of the Vermont Tree Fruit Growers Association and UVM Fruit Program will be held on February 20, 2026 at the American Legion Hall, 49 Wilson Rd., Middlebury, VT. Please hold that date on your calendars and keep an eye out for further details. Have a happy Thanksgiving, Terry and the…
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Time to be thinking about ReTain in Vermont orchards
It is time to be thinking about applying ReTain to apples in Vermont orchards. This plant growth regulator slow ethylene production, thereby delaying ripening, reducing fruit drop, and allowing the grower (or customer) to harvest firmware, fresher fruit. Ione important consideration this year is that ReTain does not work as well on water stressed trees,…
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Clarification on legality of acetamiprid (Assail) use in apple orchards
I am passing this guidance on to apple growers regarding the legality of using acetamiprid and other insecticides in orchards when blooming weeds are present. As we are in apple maggot management season now, it is important to use materials effectively and safely, and many of us are using Assail to manage that pest. A…
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Guidance on labeling fresh juice / cider for retail sale in Vermont
One of our growers recently asked me to check on the rules for making and labeling unpasteurized cider in Vermont, and with the harvest and market season soon upon us, I figured others may have the same question. Cider processing is regulated by the Vermont Agency of Health, so I reached out to them to…
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VT Apple IPM: Foliar nutrient analysis, apple maggot, summer diseases
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…
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VT Apple IPM: Summer pest management, phase 2
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…
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VT Apple IPM- Codling moth
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…
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Vermont Apple IPM: Thinning, codling moth, general IPM
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…
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VT Apple IPM: 2025 Petal Fall
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,…