So, despite our opinion that surges in PC immigration have ceased for the season, orchards may continue to accumulate damage form PC that arrived in early June. Generation Gaps Early-season trap captures of adult leafminers suggested that scattered blocks were again facing risk of developing the extremely high mine densities seen over the past several years. It has certainly been a bad season to be a mite. European red mite populations started the season with low numbers of overwintered eggs, experienced poor egg hatch, developed slowly, and have had to endure the cool weather and periodic driving rains of the past several weeks. All of this has come together to keep ERM levels well in check, and few growers are facing a developing need for chemical control.
Clothespins are one of the most valuable young apple tree training tools.
Reuse them on young shoots that perhaps need a little help in maintaining as close to a horizontal positions as possible. It might be assumed they also simulate fruit on the young tree and perhaps control vigor and bring the tree into earlier bearing. Of course the clothespins should be removed once the branch diameter becomes constricted by the clothespin jaws. Now is the time to make sure you have effective weed control in orchard tree rows, particularly in intensive orchards using dwarf and semi-dwarf trees. Cornell University research has emphasized the importance of having good weed control this time of the year when trees are actively growing and setting fruit.