2023 Growing Season

Apples are in bloom in Winchester and from 14– 17 April 2023, and besides fire blight threat I addressed in my previous blog post from today, we are expecting multiple rain events as per the NWS forecast. These many rain events will allow longer leaf …

Severe fire blight infections are imminent 14-16 April in Whole Virginia. Apply protective sprays today for any pome fruit in bloom, even if you have less then 5% flowers left on cultivars that are in petal fall. Below are mix options to use, but preventive …

We are in bloom in Northern VA. Based on the weather forecast as it stands now, if showers predicted in NWS with a 17-53% chance to occur on Saturday 15th or Sunday 16th April they will lead to infection by fire blight. The only exception …

TO ALL SOUTH CENTRAL VA POME FRUIT GROWING AREAS: There is a significant risk that today’s thunderstorm(s) will bring hail and 60 mph gusts at locations listed below. If in your or in neighboring orchard there was a recent history of fire blight be ready …

The apple scab infection predicted 31 March to 1 April was actually severe in Rustburg and Tyro, and we assume in near by locations as well as in whole south Virginia (e.g. in Bristol and others). The weather forecast did change from the time we …

The below outputs from the NEWA EIP model using NWS forecast show that we are expecting a series wetting events on 5th and 6th April, which will lead to fire blight infection on pome fruit in bloom, if the current weather forecast becomes reality on …

1. Apple scab could infect with the rains of 31 March into 1 April (Figures 1-4) but will it? Based on National Weather Service forecast for the next 48 h to 72 h, it appears that after these rain events leaf wetting will not continue, …

1. The key driver of your stone fruit spray program is brown rot. Fruit protection with alternating fungicides with different modes of action is essential to avoid fungicide resistance and have good quality fruit at harvest. The key period when fruit are susceptible to diseases …

1. Infections are possible tonight with rains 27 March in Bristol and in Southern Virginia locations on any pome fruit with open flowers (Fig. 1). No infections are predicted in Rustburg. If wetting occurs in and around Tyro today fire blight infections are possible. Use …

Most of central and southern Virginia farms I have communicated with today are at less then 1% bloom on Pink Lady, Hewe’s Crab, or other similar early cultivars. This is changing quickly as temperature rise, so keep looking a the EIP fire blight model in …