Jonagolds with a robust full bloom
This week we’re doing all the things! Weeds are growing, trees are blooming, fruit is setting, scab spores are afloat, deer are browsing, future plantings are being planned and cover crop fields are being prepped! We are rapidly entering late spring where time runs away like sand between our fingers.
Fruit/Bud/Tree Development
- We are seeing an ecouraging return bloom this year on two of our main apple varieties, Jonagold and Honeycrisp, both had pretty heavy producing years last year and so seeing a nice amount of blossoms is a very welcome surprise. Often, when trees produce heavily one year, the return bloom is quite reduced in the following year. There’s still a good amount of trees in an “off-year” this year but so far better than expected.
- Grape shoots are off to the races with Jupiter cluster buds already visible. Shoot thinning will be here before we know it.
- Pears, plums and peaches have set fruit and the little fruitlets are beginning to size up.
Pest & Disease
- Peach leaf curl is more severe than we anticipated this spring, especially because our spray applications were well timed and conditions relatively dry. 19-007 seems to be the hardest hit, which is consistent with past observations.
- This year seems to be a big year for tent caterpillars, which we haven’t seen much of for the past couple years. I am hoping our standard Bt program for leafrollers will keep these at bay.
- We are coming to the tail end of primary apple scab infection season. These prolonged rain events with temps in the 50s means frequent fungicide sprays (mostly sulfur). Last year, we had minimal scab pressure so fingers crossed that innoculum is low.
Pear Fruitlets sizing rapidly
