Fruit Crops Edition

Seasonal updates on diseases, insects, weeds impacting tree fruit and small fruit (blueberry, cranberry, and wine grape). Fruit Pest Alerts are also available via this category feed.
 
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November 14, 2012

NJ Fruit Crop Insurance Deadline: November 20

– Win Cowgill and David Lee

All fruit growers should note that November 20, 2012 Is the Deadline for Fruit Crop Insurance in New Jersey

Crop Insurance Peaches Crop Insurance Apples
Crop Insurance Blueberry Crop Insurance Wine Grapes

 

Important Dates

  • Sales Closing Tree Fruit, Blueberries and NAP -November 20, 2012 for 2013 crop
  • Production Report Due for 2012 -January 13, 2013
  • Acreage Report Due for 2012- January 15, 2013
  • New Jersey producers who grow apples, peaches, blueberries, and cranberries who are interested in crop insurance must contact a crop insurance agent well  before November 20, 2012. [Read more…]
Filed Under: Tree Fruit
October 16, 2012

Fall Soil Testing

Fall is a good time of year to evaluate the past season’s successes and failures and plan strategies for the season ahead.

Give special consideration to determining soil nutrient levels and examining weed problems and infestations. Through proper record keeping, planning, and evaluation, you can better handle some of the effects of the previous growing season. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops
September 25, 2012

Late Season Yellow-fleshed Peaches

-Jerome L. Frecon
In recent years late season peaches have not been as popular because food retailers and consumers seem to feel peach season ends at Labor Day. This was not quite true in 2012 with many of our most popular late season varieties waning in supply after Labor Day.

Peach movement was great throughout the summer of 2012 as most varieties were maturing ten days to 1 week early in the August varieties. This early season maturity and good movement seemed to occur throughout the eastern US. In southern New Jersey this resulted in a few changes with many normally late maturing peaches.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Tree Fruit
July 17, 2012

Small Fruit IPM Report July 17, 2012

-Dean Polk, Fruit IPM Agent and
David Schmitt, Eugene Rizio and Atanas Atanassov,
Program Associates, Tree Fruit IPM

Filed Under: Blueberry, Wine Grape
July 13, 2012

NJ IR-4 A Call for Project Submissions

The IR-4 Project is “a cooperative program of the USDA and the SAES, with the principle goal of developing data to support and to expedite regulatory clearances of newer, reduced risk pest control products for specialty crop growers.” More information on the IR-4 Project can be found at http://ir4.rutgers.edu. As the IR-4 liaison for the state of New Jersey, my main responsibility is to represent the pesticide needs of minor crops in New Jersey at the IR-4 Food Use Workshop meeting.

This year, the IR-4 Food Use Workshop will take place on Tues.-Wed., Sept. 11-12, at the St. Louis Union Station Marriott, downtown St. Louis, MO. New projects must be submitted no later than August 15. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops
April 27, 2012

Freeze Warning for Northwest NJ

Smudge pot and open burning permits for freeze protection on farms have once again been authorized Friday night Aprit 27, 2012 and each night through Monday morning.

See Crop Protection: Procedures for Open Burning and the Use of Smudge Pots Pertaining to New Jersey Fruit, Vegetables, and Floriculture.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Fruit