Tree Fruit Edition

Seasonal updates on insects, diseases, weeds, maturity dates and cultural practices impacting only tree fruit.
 
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March 22, 2023

South Jersey Tree Fruit Twilight Meeting – I

April 6 (Thu) @ 7 PM

Gloucester County Govt. Services Building: 1200 N. Delsea Drive, Bldg. # A, Clayton, NJ 08312

Pesticide credits requested: CORE, 1A, PP2, 10

7 pm: Welcome. Notes from Colorado peach meeting: market updates, etc.
Hemant Gohil, Gloucester County Agricultural Agent, Rutgers NJAES

Pesticide Safety and Regulations Update for 2023 (CORE)
George Hamilton, Extension Specialist in Pest Management, Rutgers NJAES

Field observations from the IPM Program
Dave Schmitt, Fruit IPM Program Associate, Rutgers NJAES

Management of Peach Bacterial Spot: Timing Bactericide Sprays to Rainfall Events
Norman Lalancette, Extension Specialist, Tree Fruit Pathology, Rutgers NJAES

Urea Nitrogen Fertilizer and Nickel Nutrition for Orchard Health
Joseph Heckman, Extension Specialist in Soil Fertility, Rutgers NJAES.
Alon Rabinovich, Postdoc Associate, Plant Science Department, Rutgers Uni.

9 pm: Pesticide re-certification credits application and Adjourn

Light fare will be provided. Please call Joan Medany at jmedany@co.gloucester.nj.us or 856-224-8030 if you plan to attend. If additional assistance is needed, please get in touch with Hemant Gohil (Program Organizer) at 856-224-8029 before the meeting.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With:
March 21, 2023

Tree Fruit IPM Report for March 22, 2023

Tree Fruit Phenology:

Tree fruit phenology is advanced based on historical observations. In southern counties some early blooming varieties are 5-10% bloom. Redhaven was at bud swell on March 9, about 3 weeks earlier than the median observation date. Red Delicious was at silver tip on March 9, about 12 days earlier than the median observation date. Plums are in bloom and Pears are at green tip. The recent cold weather has helped slow things down. Peach phenology is about 2 weeks earlier than normal and apple phenology is about normal. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Tree Fruit Tagged With: , , , , , ,
March 2, 2023

NJDEP Bureau of Water Allocation and Well Permitting Workshops Held

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection coordinated workshops in the past two weeks to assist farmers with Agricultural Water Certifications/Registrations who needed 5-year renewals. Those farmers with certifications expiring in 2023 were invited by NJDEP to attend the scheduled workshops. NJDEP Staff visited the 4 counties: Gloucester, Salem, Burlington, and Cumberland to complete renewals for 2023. These workshops are an efficient way to make sure forms are accurate, complete, and acceptable to NJDEP – avoiding the need to mail back paperwork to correct any information. If a farmer receives an invitation in the future to attend these NJDEP coordinated workshops, it is really important to attend and update your forms.

If a farmer was unable to attend workshops, or their county did not have a workshop, they must complete the 5-year renewal form mailed by DEP and make an appointment with the County Agricultural Agent in their county to finalize the forms in order to keep their status current. County Agricultural Agents do not have access to obtaining the renewal packets and farmers must bring them completed to the appointment or contact NJDEP for another copy, if they cannot locate their copy.

As per the NJDEP’s instruction, Agricultural Agents are to complete an “agent irrigation calculations sheet” and sign off on the form prior the forms are submitted to DEP. The forms can also be reviewed during an appointment with the Agricultural Agent. All other portions of the form are the responsibility of the farmer to complete. Also, it is important to read all instructions – that includes having a written daily log of the last month water was used in the past year to submit with the 5-year renewal application.

If a farmer does not have an Agricultural Water Use Certification or Registration, they can contact the NJDEP using the information below to obtain the forms.

If a farmer has any questions, NJDEP asks they contact staff at:

NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Supply and Geoscience, Bureau of Water Allocation and Well Permitting, Mail Code 401-04Q, P.O. Box 420, Trenton, NJ 08625-0420, 609-984-6831. Also see the website at http://www.nj.gov/dep/watersupply/

 

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Fruit, Nursery, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,
March 2, 2023

Early Season Tree Fruit Pest Control for 2023

  • Dormant season oil sprays
  • Dormant season copper sprays
  • Dormant season urea sprays

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Tree Fruit Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
February 22, 2023

Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory adds Sulfur to Soil Fertility Analysis

Plant-available sulfur (sulfate) values have been added to Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory fertility reports in the micronutrient reporting line. There are four interpretive categories: Low, Medium-low, Sufficient, and High. An explanatory paragraph follows near the end of the report to help interpret the reported value.

Photo illustrating sulfur deficiency in sweet corn.

Symptoms of sulfur deficiency include yellowing or light green coloring on youngest tissue, thin stems and petioles, slow growth, and delayed maturity. Photo Credit: G. Brust, University of Maryland.

As the interpretative statements within the reports explain, sulfur analysis/interpretation is very complicated (similar to nitrogen) due to the many factors influencing it. Also, there is not full consensus among soil fertility experts on a best extraction method and critical values. Still, the sulfur value on the revised reports will provide an extra degree of information for understanding the soil & plant health. As with all micronutrient interpretations on the reports, the relevant RCE publication is referenced for further information; in the case of sulfur, RCE bulletin E365.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , ,
February 14, 2023

North Jersey Commercial Tree Fruit Grower Meeting March 1

NORTH JERSEY COMMERCIAL FRUIT GROWERS MEETING

March 1, 2023
8:30 am – 3:00 pm
Hunterdon County Complex
314 State Rt. 12, Building #1
Flemington, NJ

Program Chair
Megan Muehlbauer, Agriculture and Resource Management Agent
Cooperative Extension of Hunterdon County

8:30 – Registration
Coffee and pastry compliments of industry sponsors

9:00 – Welcome and Introductions

9:10- Introduction to the New North Jersey Tree Fruit IPM Program Associate
Kaitlin Quinn, Tree Fruit IPM Program Associate, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

9:30 – New Jersey Hard Cider Apple Variety Trial Updates
Megan Muehlbauer, County Agent III, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Hunterdon County

10:00 – Integrated Pest Management in Blueberries, Back to the Basics
Carrie Mansue, Senior Program Coordinator, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

10:30 – Weed Management Updates for Tree Fruit Production
Thierry Besancon, Extension Specialist in Weed Science, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

11:00 – Strategies to Protect Farmer Safety and Health as the Field Season Approaches
Kate Brown, Program Associate II, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County

11:30 – Jersey Fresh Marketing and NJ Apple Promotion Council Updates
TBD, Division of Markets, NJ Dept. of Agriculture

12:00 – LUNCHEON ($25.00 pre-registration required)

1:00 – What is New from Industry

1:10 – Peach Promotion Council Updates
Jerry Frecon, Rutgers University Professor Emeritus, and Horticultural Consultant

1:20 – Update on Farm Service Programs
Laura LaFevre, County Executive Director, Hunterdon Somerset Farm Service Agency

1:30 – Protective Equipment for Pesticide Safety
Patricia Hastings, Pesticide Safety Education Program Coordinator, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

2:30 – Management of Peach Bacterial Spot: Integration of Biorational Materials and Cultivar Resistance
Norm Lalancette, Specialist in Tree Fruit Plant Pathology, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

3:00 – Pesticide Recertification Credits and Adjourn

THE FOLLOWING NJDEP PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION CREDITS WILL BE OFFERED

3 CORE   5 CAT 1A   5 CAT 10   5 PP2

All Registration and Lunch Fees (Cash or Check) will be collected at the door
Please make checks payable to: Rutgers The State University of New Jersey

Registration Fees $20.00 per meeting
Additional Registrants $10.00 each per meeting
Lunch Fees $25.00 per person per meeting

RSVP by February 24, 2023
RSVP to Kim Crommelin 908-788-1338
kfrey@co.hunterdon.nj.us

 

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, pesticide credits, Tree Fruit