Grapes
Populations of spotted wing drosophila continue to increase. As best I can tell, numbers are not at the devastating levels that they were a couple of years ago, but there are still plenty around to cause very serious injury to small fruit. Raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry growers should be on a regular spray program at[Read More…]
Mites continue to be a concern for both fruit and vegetable growers. We are just now at the historical peak population time for European red mites. Fruit growers should be scouting their more susceptible blocks regularly for the next few weeks. The thresholds for treatment increase as we get later in the season. See https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-258/E-258.html[Read More…]
We caught our first spotted wing drosophila adults in traps in Elkhart County over the weekend. We can assume that they will be flying and laying their eggs in developing fruit of grape, raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry from this point until the end of the season. In addition to checking traps, growers should be inspecting[Read More…]
Blueberry Growers of Indiana Spring Meeting and potluck June 9, 2016, 4:00 pm Sider’s Blueberry Farm. 6254 W. 200 North, Rochester, IN. More information will follow. Indiana Winery and Vineyard Association Summer meeting July 19-20, 2016 Brown County Inn. Nashville, IN. More information will follow. Indiana Hort Society Summer Field Day June 22, 2016 David[Read More…]
Immediate post-bloom through about 3 weeks post bloom is the most effective time for leaf removal on tight clustered varieties such as Vignoles, Seyval, and Pinot gris. That time will be coming up soon in southern Indiana. Removal of 3 to 5 leaves in the cluster zone can greatly reduce risk of Botrytis bunch rot.[Read More…]
The weather this spring has been ideal for development of Phomopsis cane and leaf spot. The past few weeks have been cool with frequent showers, and shoot growth has been slow. These conditions favor sporulation and infection by Phomopsis. This pathogen is one of the major causes of fruit rot in the Midwest. Early season[Read More…]