Apple phenology advanced rapidly across New Jersey over the past week under warm conditions; however, a significant freeze event has impacted orchards statewide. Most varieties were pink to full bloom during the freeze, with early varieties in southern counties, such as ‘Pink Lady,’ at full bloom and likely sustaining substantial injury. Later varieties and more northern regions may show variable levels of damage depending on bloom stage and site conditions.

As temperatures remain favorable, development will continue into petal fall, where viable fruit remains. This remains a critical period for disease management, particularly for fire blight, apple scab, powdery mildew, and cedar apple rust. Even in blocks with reduced crop, maintaining protection of foliage and any surviving fruit is important for overall tree health and return bloom next season. Monitoring for early-season insect pests should also continue, with management decisions adjusted based on crop presence and block-specific conditions.

Phenology Dates by County (earliest varieties)

Early control is critical to avoiding season-long pressure.

Ambrosia Beetle

• Significant flight activity has been observed across New Jersey, with high trap captures reported in multiple counties
• Activity remains elevated, particularly following recent warm temperatures
• Continue monitoring closely, especially in stressed, freeze-damaged, declining, or newly planted blocks, which remain highly susceptible
• Freeze-injured trees may be more attractive to ambrosia beetles, increasing risk even in blocks with little to no crop

Codling Moth (CM)

• Biofix has been set for southern New Jersey as of April 20, 2026
• No trap capture has occurred in northern New Jersey this season
• Begin tracking degree-day accumulations from this date to time management applications
• In blocks with viable crop, early-season control is important to prevent internal fruit feeding later in the season
• In blocks with little to no crop, CM management programs may be reduced, but monitoring should continue

• A significant freeze event has resulted in widespread blossom and fruit loss across many orchards
• Damage varies by block, and crop viability should be assessed before making management decisions
• Apple scab risk is approaching peak primary infection, with a major infection event forecasted around April 25–26—fungicide coverage is critical ahead of rain
• Fire blight risk remains in blocks with surviving bloom; continue monitoring models and applying bactericides as needed
• Even in low-crop blocks, maintaining disease control and tree health is essential to support return bloom for next season

Pear development progressed rapidly across New Jersey under recent warm temperatures; however, a significant freeze event has resulted in widespread injury to blossoms and young fruit.

Most European pear varieties in New Jersey were at full bloom to early petal fall during the freeze and are likely to have sustained substantial crop loss, especially in low-lying or frost-prone areas. Damage levels vary by block, and growers should assess viability over the coming days.

Asian pear varieties, which were generally slightly more advanced, may have experienced greater levels of injury in some locations due to increased sensitivity at later bloom stages. In northern counties, where bloom was still ongoing, damage appears more variable depending on site conditions.

Where viable fruit remains, development will continue into petal fall. Despite potential crop loss, maintaining disease management and overall tree health remains important to support return bloom and long-term productivity.

• Pear psylla activity remains generally low to moderate across southern New Jersey, though variability exists by block
• Freeze-damaged orchards may see increased psylla pressure, as stressed trees are more susceptible to colonization

Regional Observations:

• Gloucester County: None observed
• Salem County: Adults observed
• Burlington County: No activity observed to date
• Mercer County: No activity observed to date

As orchards move through petal fall and temperatures remain warm, psylla populations are expected to increase, particularly where eggs are already present.

Management Considerations

• Insecticide applications should target newly hatched nymphs, which are the most susceptible stage
• Timing is critical—applications shortly after egg hatch provide the most effective control
• Prioritize blocks with historically high pressure, current egg presence, or freeze stress
• Even in blocks with reduced crop, psylla management remains important to protect tree health and prevent honeydew/sooty mold buildup

Recommended Options

• Movento (IRAC 23) – excellent systemic control of psylla, scale, and aphids (apply with a spreading/penetrating adjuvant for best performance)
• Actara (IRAC 4A) – highly effective on psylla and aphids
• Assail (IRAC 4A) – good activity on psylla and multiple pests
• Belay (IRAC 4A) – effective option for psylla control
• Centaur (IRAC 16) – targets immature stages
• Sivanto Prime (IRAC 4D) – effective, softer option with good activity
• Agri-mek (IRAC 6) – strong option when applied with oil/adjuvant, especially for nymph control

A significant freeze event has resulted in widespread blossom and fruit loss in many New Jersey pear orchards, with damage varying by block and site conditions.

• Most pear varieties in southern counties are now at petal fall to early post-bloom, while northern counties range from full bloom to late bloom
• Asian pear varieties, which were more advanced, may have experienced greater levels of freeze injury in some locations
• Pear psylla pressure remains low to moderate, but populations are expected to increase with warm temperatures and may be higher in freeze-stressed blocks
• Insecticide applications can resume at petal fall, with a focus on targeting early nymph hatch and prioritizing high-pressure or stressed orchards
• Pear scab risk is increasing, with a high-risk infection period forecasted around April 25–27—fungicide coverage should be maintained ahead of rainfall
• Fire blight risk remains elevated, particularly in blocks with freeze injury and actively growing shoots; monitor for trauma events and late infection risk
• Even in blocks with reduced crop, maintaining disease control and tree health is critical to support return bloom and productivity next season
• Continued scouting and close monitoring of weather conditions, pest activity, and tree response will be essential over the next 7–10 days

• Peach and nectarine development progressed rapidly across New Jersey under recent warm temperatures; however, a significant freeze event has resulted in widespread injury to blossoms and young fruit, particularly in southern counties.
• Most varieties in southern New Jersey were at shuck split during the freeze, a highly sensitive stage, and are likely to have sustained substantial crop loss, especially in low-lying or frost-prone areas. In northern counties, where bloom was still ongoing, damage appears more variable depending on site conditions and variety.
• Development will continue to advance under favorable temperatures, with any surviving fruit progressing through shuck split into early fruit development. Over the coming week, growers should assess crop viability at the block level as injury becomes more apparent.
• Despite potential crop loss, maintaining disease management and overall tree health remains important to support return bloom and long-term productivity.

Blossom blight risk is declining as orchards move through petal fall; however, brown rot remains a concern on young fruitlets, particularly under warm, wet conditions. The recent freeze may have increased susceptibility, as damaged blossoms and fruitlets can serve as infection sites.

Infection is favored during wetting periods between 41–86°F (optimal mid-70s), and risk remains elevated during extended wet periods. Fruitlets remain susceptible through shuck split, after which natural resistance begins to increase.

Management Considerations

• Maintain fungicide coverage through petal fall and into early cover, especially ahead of rainfall
• Focus on protecting young fruitlets, particularly in blocks with a history of brown rot
• If prolonged wetting occurred during bloom, ensure continued protection post-bloom
• Rotate fungicide chemistries to reduce resistance risk

Recommended Petal Fall / Early Cover Materials

• Effective options:
  • Indar, Inspire Super, Luna Sensation, Merivon, Pristine, Cevya, Flint Extra
• Additional options:
  • Rovral (prior to petal fall timing only)
  • Captan (useful in cover sprays)

Notes:

• Many of the most effective materials (FRAC 7, 11, 3) also play key roles in pre-harvest brown rot control—plan rotations accordingly
• Avoid over-reliance on any single FRAC group
• Abound and Quadris Top are highly effective, but are phytotoxic to apples—do not use if the same sprayer is used across crops

Petal Fall / Early Cover Disease Programs

• Peach scab:
  • Cankers begin to expand at bloom and by shuck split begin to shed spores during wetting periods, so protective applications should be initiated starting at petal fall.
  • Captan or Captan/Topsin combinations are good for cover sprays after shuck split for blocks that had scab last year.
  • Apply Flint Extra or Abound at petal fall for anti-sporulant activity in high-pressure blocks.

• Bacterial spot:
  • Begin protection at petal fall in susceptible blocks using copper or Mycoshield, especially under warm, wet conditions.
  • Avoid combining copper with captan especially if it has been overcast for several days.
• Rusty spot:
  • Programs should begin at petal fall, with Rally commonly used as the first application.

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM)

• OFM traps are active across New Jersey, with biofix set for April 7 in South NJ and April 15 for most counties in North NJ.
• Degree-day accumulation should be tracked from this date to properly time first-generation management. The first insecticides for first generation Oriental Fruit Moth control should be applied at 170-200 degree days (base 45 deg F) after biofix. This timing generally coincides with petal fall in peaches. Do not apply insecticides until all bloom is off regardless of degree day timing. No Insecticides for OFM should be needed where Mating Disruption is implemented.
• As blocks move through petal fall, growers should begin preparing for first cover applications targeting OFM larvae. Timings can be calculated using the degree day calculator at the NEWA website by choosing the weather station nearest your farm, entering the biofix date as the start date, and choosing base 45 in the “degree day type” menu.
• Keep in mind that plum curculio is also active at petal fall so an insecticide that targets both pests should be selected, like Asana or Avaunt.

Scale

• Delayed dormant oil applications are complete for most orchards.
• Where oil was not applied or in orchards where scale is a recurring problem, an application of Centaur at petal fall or Movento between petal fall and shuck split should “clean up” problem blocks. Centaur is recommended at 34.5 ozs./ac and Movento should be applied at 6-9 ozs./ac. A penetrant must be included to Movento as per the product label. Movento will also control green peach aphid when used at this time.
• Continue monitoring historically infested blocks and planning for crawler management later in the season if populations persist.

Green Peach Aphid

• GPA colonies begin forming sometime during bloom. Examine trees for the presence of colonies from pink to shuck split.
• Continue scouting as terminals expand, and colonies begin to establish.
• Count the number of colonies on ten trees and use a treatment threshold:
  • Nectarines: 1 colony per tree
  • Peaches: 2–3 colonies per tree

Lesser and Greater Peach Tree Borers

• Growers using mating disruption for borer control can begin placing dispensers around the end of April and should have them in place by mid-May.

Petal Fall Considerations

Insecticide applications can resume at petal fall.

• Target key pests including:
  • OFM (timed by degree-days from biofix)
  • Plum curculio
  • Tarnished plant bug and other catfacing isnects
  • Green peach aphid

Early applications should focus on preventing the establishment of first-generation pests, particularly in blocks with a history of pressure

Recommended Petal Fall Options

• OFM / Leafrollers:
  • Altacor, Asana, Delegate, Besiege, Voliam Flexi
• Plum Curculio / Catfacing Insects:
  • Imidan, Avaunt, Actara, pyrethroids (e.g., Warrior II, Lambda-Cy)
• Green Peach Aphid:
  • Assail, Actara, Admire Pro

• Most peach and nectarine varieties in southern New Jersey are at petal fall to shuck split, while northern counties are at full bloom to petal fall.
• The freeze event earlier this week has resulted in significant impact across the state, although the effect on projected crop yield is currently unknown.
• Brown rot risk remains present, particularly during wetting events, with young fruitlets susceptible through shuck split.
• Maintain fungicide coverage through petal fall and into early cover, especially ahead of rainfall.
• OFM biofix was set for 4/7 for southern counties and 4/15 for northern counties, and growers should continue tracking degree-day accumulation to time first-generation management.
• Insecticide applications can resume at petal fall, targeting key pests including OFM, plum curculio, tarnished plant bug, and green peach aphid.

Apple phenology continues to progress across New Jersey, with development advancing rapidly under recent warm temperatures. Observations indicate that most varieties statewide are at pink bud, while early varieties in southern counties, such as Pink Lady, have entered bloom.

This stage marks a critical transition in disease management, particularly for fire blight, apple scab, powdery mildew, and cedar apple rust, while also representing an important period for early-season insect management and monitoring.

Phenology Dates by County (earliest varieties)

Early control is critical to avoiding season-long pressure.

Ambrosia Beetle

• Significant flight activity has been observed across New Jersey, with high trap captures reported in multiple counties.
• Activity is increasing in all regions.
• Continue monitoring activity closely, particularly in stressed, declining, or newly planted blocks, which remain most susceptible.
• Growers should remain alert, as peak flight activity typically coincides with warm temperatures during bloom.

Mating Disruption Timing

• Codling moth (CM) mating disruption should be deployed by bloom (pink–early bloom timing is ideal).
• Most counties are now at bloom, and applications should be completed immediately if not already done.

• Apply on a 3–7 day interval during bloom, tightening ahead of rain
• Powdery mildew can develop under dry conditions
• Do not tank mix Captan with oil due to phytotoxicity risk
• Rotate FRAC groups and preserve FRAC 11 fungicides for summer use

Pear development has progressed rapidly across New Jersey, with warm temperatures accelerating bloom.

Most European pear varieties are now early-petal-fall in southern counties.

Asian pear varieties remain slightly more advanced, with many blocks in southern counties moving through late bloom into early petal fall, and northern plantings at full bloom to late bloom.

Pear psylla activity continues to be variable across southern New Jersey, though pressure remains generally low to moderate in most orchards. Earlier oil applications, particularly where combined with materials such as Esteem, have likely helped suppress early populations.

• Gloucester County: None observed
• Salem County: Adults observed
• Burlington County: No activity observed to date
• Mercer County: No activity observed to date

As orchards move through petal fall, psylla populations are expected to increase with continued warm temperatures.

At Petal Fall:

• Continue monitoring for adults, eggs, and early nymph hatch
• Use beating trays to assess adult activity
• Examine developing shoots and leaf undersides for eggs and emerging nymphs

Management Considerations:

• Insecticide applications can resume at petal fall, targeting early nymph stages
• Timing is critical—applications shortly after egg hatch provide the most effective control
• Prioritize blocks with historically high pressure or current egg presence

Recommended Petal Fall Options:

• Movento – excellent systemic control of psylla, scale, and aphids (use with a spreading-penetrating adjuvant to improve efficacy)
• Also effective options at petal fall: Actara, Assail, Belay, Centaur, Sivanto Prime, and Agri-mek

Management should focus on targeting newly hatched nymphs, as this stage is the most susceptible and critical for preventing population buildup.

• Most pear varieties across southern New Jersey are now at petal fall, with some blocks moving into early post-bloom stages; northern counties remain at full bloom to late bloom.
• Asian pear varieties remain slightly more advanced, with many blocks at petal fall.
• Pear psylla pressure remains low to moderate, likely due in part to prior oil applications, particularly where combined with Esteem.
• Insecticide applications can resume at petal fall, with a focus on targeting early nymph hatch.
• Growers should continue scouting for adults, eggs, and newly hatched nymphs to guide post-bloom management decisions.
• Recent and forecasted wetting events continue to support pear scab infection risk, and fungicide coverage should be maintained.
• Fire blight risk remains elevated, particularly under warm conditions; monitor for trauma events and late infection risk.
• Continued scouting and close monitoring of weather conditions and tree growth will be critical over the next 7–10 days as post-bloom disease and insect pressure develop.

• 

  Figure 1. Peach at shuck split in Gloucester County, NJ.

  Peach and nectarine development has progressed rapidly across New Jersey, with warm temperatures accelerating bloom and early fruit set.

• Most varieties in southern counties are now at petal fall to early shuck split (Figure 1), while northern counties are at full bloom, with some earlier varieties at petal fall.
• Development is expected to continue advancing quickly under continued warm conditions, with southern blocks moving further into early fruit development stages over the next week.

Blossom blight risk declines as orchards move through petal fall; however, infections can still occur on remaining blossoms and young fruitlets under favorable conditions.

Infection is favored during wetting periods between 41–86°F, with optimal conditions in the mid-70s, and risk remains elevated during extended wet periods. Fruitlets remain susceptible until shuck split, when natural resistance begins to increase.

Management Considerations

• Maintain fungicide coverage through petal fall and into early cover, especially ahead of rainfall
• Focus on protecting young fruitlets, particularly in blocks with a history of brown rot
• If prolonged wetting occurred during bloom, ensure continued protection post-bloom
• Rotate fungicide chemistries to reduce resistance risk

Recommended Petal Fall / Early Cover Materials

• Effective options:
  • Indar, Inspire Super, Luna Sensation, Merivon, Pristine, Cevya, Flint Extra
• Additional options:
  • Rovral (prior to petal fall timing only)
  • Captan (useful in cover sprays)

Notes:

• Many of the most effective materials (FRAC 7, 11, 3) also play key roles in pre-harvest brown rot control—plan rotations accordingly
• Avoid over-reliance on any single FRAC group
• Abound and Quadris Top are highly effective, but are phytotoxic to apples—do not use if the same sprayer is used across crops

Petal Fall / Early Cover Considerations: 

• Peach scab:
  • Apply Flint Extra or Abound at petal fall for anti-sporulant activity in high-pressure blocks
• Bacterial spot:
  • Begin protection at petal fall in susceptible blocks using copper or Mycoshield, especially under warm, wet conditions
• Rusty spot:
  • Programs should begin at petal fall, with Rally commonly used as the first application

Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM)

OFM traps are active across southern New Jersey, with biofix set for April 7 in South NJ and April 15 for most counties in North NJ.

Degree-day accumulation should be tracked from this date to properly time first-generation management. The first insecticides for first generation Oriental Fruit Moth control should be applied at 170-200 degree days (base 45 deg F) after biofix. This timing generally coincides with petal fall in peaches. Do not apply insecticides until all bloom is off regardless of degree day timing. No Insecticides for OFM should be needed where Mating Disruption is implemented.

As blocks move through petal fall, growers should begin preparing for first cover applications targeting OFM larvae. Timings can be calculated using the degree day calculator at the NEWA website by choosing the weather station nearest your farm, entering the biofix date as the start date, and choosing base 45 in the “degree day type” menu.

Keep in mind that plum curculio is also active at petal fall so an insecticide that targets both pests should be selected.

Scale

• Delayed dormant oil applications are complete for most orchards.
• Continue monitoring historically infested blocks and plan for crawler management later in the season if populations persist.

Green Peach Aphid

• GPA colonies begin forming sometime during bloom. Examine trees for the presence of colonies from pink to shuck split.
• Continue scouting as terminals expand and colonies begin to establish.
• Count the number of colonies on ten trees and use a treatment threshold:
  • Nectarines: 1 colony per tree
  • Peaches: 2–3 colonies per tree

Petal Fall Considerations

Insecticide applications can resume at petal fall

• Target key pests including:
  • OFM (timed by degree-days from biofix)
  • Plum curculio
  • Tarnished plant bug and other catfacing isnects
  • Green peach aphid

Early applications should focus on preventing the establishment of first-generation pests, particularly in blocks with a history of pressure

Recommended Petal Fall Options

• OFM / Leafrollers:
  • Altacor, Delegate, Besiege, Voliam Flexi
• Plum Curculio / Catfacing Insects:
  • Imidan, Avaunt, Actara, pyrethroids (e.g., Warrior II, Lambda-Cy)
• Green Peach Aphid:
  • Assail, Actara, Admire Pro

• Most peach and nectarine varieties in southern New Jersey are now at petal fall to early shuck split, while northern counties are at full bloom.
• Development has progressed rapidly under recent warm temperatures and will continue advancing quickly with favorable weather.
• Brown rot risk remains present, particularly during wetting events, with young fruitlets susceptible through shuck split.
• Maintain fungicide coverage through petal fall and into early cover, especially ahead of rainfall.
• OFM biofix was set for 4/7 for southern counties and 4/15 for northern counties, and growers should continue tracking degree-day accumulation to time first-generation management.
• Insecticide applications can resume at petal fall, targeting key pests including OFM, plum curculio, and green peach aphid.
• Delayed dormant oil timing has passed; focus should shift to in-season insect monitoring and management.
• Continue scouting for green peach aphid, with treatment thresholds of 1 colony/tree in nectarines and 2–3 colonies/tree in peaches.
• Continued scouting and timely applications will be critical over the next 7–10 days as crop development and pest pressure increase.