Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Print copies of the 2023/2024 New Jersey Tree Fruit Production Guides are available at your local Cooperative Extension Offices for $25 per copy.
The guides will soon be available for FREE online. Once they are available online the announcement will be made on the Rutgers Plant and Pest Advisory.
If you have any trouble obtaining a guide from your local office please contact: Kim Crommelin: kfrey@co.hunterdon.nj.us or 908-788-1338.
Do you irrigate produce?
Have questions about Subpart E or agricultural water?
The On-Farm Food Safety Team is involved in a national survey to find out:
This survey will help us get a better understanding of what you know and how extension educators can assist the industry. Please take a few minutes and fill out the survey by clicking on the image to the right.
Two important notes:
More information:
Tree Fruit Phenology: Tree Fruit Phenology remains advanced in peach, but development is slowing. In southern counties all peach orchards are late bloom to petal fall. Redhaven was at approximately full bloom on April 4. Plums are at shuck off. Pears are at petal fall. Red Delicious is just past full bloom. Sweet cherries are at about late bloom depending on variety. [Read more…]
Cool, Moist Springs, Aphids, and Lady Beetles: A cool, moist spring will be good for lady beetles, and other predators feeding on aphids. A single lady beetle larva will eat between 200-300 aphids before becoming an adult. As adults, females eat up to 500 aphids before laying eggs! Before applying any treatment sprays against aphids, monitor for predators and consider if the infested plants are in a key location. If not, then let natural predators provide control.
Species of lady bird beetle larva that specializes feeding on aphids. (Photo Credit: Steven K. Rettke, Rutgers Coop. Ext.)
Management of Aphids Using Soaps?: Although the use of insecticidal soap is stated to be a “biorational” pesticide and is recommended within IPM programs, research has indicated that they typically provide less than satisfactory controls against aphids within the landscape. Insecticidal soap is commercially available under the trade name M-PEDE and although aphids are included on the label, the research indicates only a 5% to 10% reduction of an aphid population with a single application when applied at label rates. The M-PEDE label indicates the less than satisfactory controls it achieves against aphids with a single application. Conversely, it is important to emphasize that insecticidal soap will provide outstanding efficacy against adelgids (i.e., spruce galls & hemlock woolly adelgids) and is highly recommended as a control material against these insects (Precautionary note: As similar to oils, some soap sprays may remove the blue coloration on conifers).
Both horticultural oil & insecticidal soap sprays require good coverage to provide effective controls. (Photo Credit: Steven K. Rettke, Rutgers Coop. Ext.)
This blog includes some of the common insect/mite pests often encountered in NJ landscapes during the month of April. They may require monitoring & intervention to prevent plant damage. Also some abiotic concerns & scouting tips are included. The insect/mite pests reviewed are native holly leaf miner, spongy moth, honey locust spider mite, honey locust plant bug, eastern tent caterpillar, southern red spider mite, hemlock woolly adelgid, & hemlock rust mite.
