Rhode Island Apple IPM
April 15, 2011: Recorded Apple Pest Message in Print

April 15
Hi Fruit Growers,
This afternoon I scouted maple trees for hatched winter moth larvae in
the Greenville area and did not find any! That's good news! I looked
at various locations in Smithfield, North Scituate and Hope. Hopefully
this means that winter moth have not made it to these locations.

For the last year or more I have seen large winter moth populations in
Cumberland, Providence, Warwick, East Greenwich, North Kingstown,
South Kingstown, Portsmouth, Barrington, Warren, Bristol, and I hear
that Westerly has them as well. Orchards and blueberry plantings in
these towns should apply insecticides to control winter moth. If you
sprayed before the rain that fell 4/13, you probably need to respray
soon. At URI we received 2.5 inches of rain on 4/13. Rule of thumb is
pesticides are effective up to 2 inches of rain.

McIntosh trees in Providence County are very close to half inch green.
It is too late now to apply copper fungicides. Copper should be
applied no later than 1/4 inch green.

All apple trees should be protected with a fungicide before the next rain.

Hope to see you at the twilight meeting at Tougas Family Farm in
Northboro, MA on Wednesday, April 20 at 5:30!

Heather