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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Brian Ames <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 16 May 2010 22:57:09 -0400
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Here in Mn where the Honeycrisp and Zestar originate we have the following problems that make fruit inedible. 

scab
codling moth
apple maggot fly

scab is a fungus and when the spores are at sufficient threshold the disease gets fueled by rain and wet leaves. we are past peak threshold here and most orchards have sprayed for scab by now.  honeycrisp is fairly resistant to scab but macoun and zestar are not. 

nova should only be used after rain and works backwards to kill a infection 72 hours. its also pretty benign to bees. captan is a protectant and protects forward but is of a concern to bees and humans. 

once it gets into the 80's or so scab is done, usually by June around here. 

most orchards put down an insecticide at petal fall. unless you see any damage I'm not sure of the value to spray given some magical event like petal fall.  until coddling moth season periodically check the orchard and look for pest damage. 

coddling moth and maggot fly can make an entire crop inedible. the key to minimal spraying is timing.  the other various apple pests are secondary and can be ignored. 

go to gemplers.com and buy a IPM tent trap and pheremone lure for coddling moth and put that trap out in early June and spray when you see moths. also buy a sticky ball trap for apple maggot fly and hang the first week of July. spray when you find maggot flys. 

look around the internet for chemical choices for coddling moth and maggot fly walmart or the hardware store is not the place to buy chemicals for a orchard. do your homework online and contact a regional apple supply house like crop protection services in La Crescent MN.  spray at dusk and keep the orchard floor mowed if there are forage sources. 

i can usually get through a season with my 2500 trees with only 3-4 sprays and under $300 in chemicals. I get decent fruit and don't have any problems with my bees.  

when the apples are 5 mm -10mm spray thin using Fruitone NAA or hand thin leaving one apple per cluster and one apple every 4-5 inches. this will help the tree correctly ripen a managable crop and you are more likely to get a good bloom again next year.  improper thinning results in small fruit and in some cases if the tree is overloaded badly the fruit will never correctly ripen. 

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