Hello Wisconsin Fruit News subscribers, and welcome back to Notes from The Field: A Grower’s Perspective. This week Steve Louis (Oakwood Fruit Farm) and I had our eighth chat.

Orchard tasks at Oakwood are focused on preparing for the upcoming harvest season. Primarily utilizing stop drop plant growth regulators to prevent preharvest drop. A second fungicide application for the summer rots will be applied in the next week. According to the degree day models, Steve anticipates another 10 days before seeing coddling moth flights. Aphids and leafhoppers are also starting to show up. These pests can be an issue in orchards near alfalfa or other plant hosts. Steve also emphasized that the lesser appleworm 2^nd generation numbers can start to build now. Additionally, wooly apple aphids and stink bug adults can get out of hand quickly in August and September so these pests should not be overlooked as growers prepare for harvest.

That’s all for now! Check out the notes from my next chat with Steve Louis in the 9^th issue of Wisconsin Fruit News on August 12.

Missed the notes from my last chat with Steve? Check them out here!

The mention of a product is NOT an endorsement. This article series is NOT intended to provide recommendations; simply to hear from other growers about in-season tasks on their farm. Always follow the instructions on product labels and consult weather stations (ex. NEWA) in your area for current weather forecast and disease prediction models.

This article was posted in Notes from the Field and tagged Leslie Holland, Notes from the Field, Steve Louis.