Insect Dynamics

Beneficial Allies

The "good guys" in the orchard ecosystem are generally dismissed as not providing a complete solution. Well now. Several "partial solutions" at 20% effectiveness might just be diversity's way of doing the math! Report here on methods to encourage beneficial habitat and pest predation in general.

European Apple Sawfly

This somewhat recent immigrant to America's shores is making headway into orchards across the land. What are you doing about it?

• Early applications of Surround kaolin clay -- made within a couple days of the king blossoms first opening -- have a 50 to 70% impact on sawfly larva seeking out subsequent fruitlets, according to Gary Puterka of the Appalachian Fruit Research Station.
• Brian Caldwell in New York reports that an application of Entrust just as first instar damage is observed on fruitlets is very effective against EAS.

Plum Curculio

Long-called our Achilles' heel, the plum curculio now has to face our tactical array of Surround kaolin clay, garlic-neem synergy, and promising "curc understory management" techniques.

• Dan Kelly in Missouri notes a tangible suppression of the curculio population in his ecosystem through a well-timed "prairie burn" of the wildflower border surrounding his five acre orchard.

The Lepidoptera Complex

So many bloody species of moths make it a challenge to stay on top of a rotation of management approaches that often require variable timing. Great research has been done on the University level. . . now it's time for community orchardists to report about reality in your particular locale.

Apple Maggot Fly

The notorious "railroad worm" -- once the fly larvae infest the apple -- is best controlled by perimeter trapping and picking up all pre-harvest drops every few days. Organic spray options for AMF include Entrust (overlapping moth sprays will do some good here), pure neem oil, and Naturalis used as a soil drench under "trap trees" where AMF pupates in the soil to emerge the following year.

• Many have suggested a homemade version of the sticky red sphere trap employed for AMF. We like the idea of a Red Delicious apple, coated with Tangletrap, in which sticky yellow cards have been sliced into the sides to increase the visual allure. Now honestly. . . can you think of a better purpose for an insipid supermarket apple than that?

Every fruit grower has worthy contributions to make to these pages. . . so please contact Michael Phillips about your own orcharding research experiences, novel ideas, and success stories.

Holistic Orchard Research

• Soil Health
• Resisting Disease
• Insect Dynamics
• Balanced Orchard Nutrition
• Biodynamic Fruit
• Varietal Notes
• Rootstock Realities
• Thinking Links for Holistic Orchard Research