Fruit Grower’s Journal

Well, tonight will likely tell the tale.  Will this early spring come to a screeching halt due to a hard frost predicted by morn or will we escape?  I for one am hoping for some of that wind that has battered us the past several days or a bit of cloud cover to hold the warmth in.  Sleepless best describes the night ahead I fear…

Frost has already killed this strawberry flower. Constant irrigation during freeze events is the best protection. Photo: W. Lord

Several insect pests are bugging orchards right now.  Petal fall was several days ago in the southern part of the state and I have seen some plum curculio egg laying scars already.  This cold has likely slowed them down, but they will hit most unprotected tree fruits over the next week or more.

An Eastern Tent Caterpillar nest in a young fruit tree. Photo: W. Lord

One of the more aggressive leaf eaters is the eastern tent caterpillar.  Its telltale nest protects these critters and serves as a home base as they defoliate one or more branches of a tree.  I like to pull the nests and their contents off trees and destroy them before they get too hungry.

Bill Lord, May 10, MMX