In this photo you can see the squash beginning to develop on the plant.
Squash
Month: May 2014
Sweet Corn
This is some sweet corn that one of the growers has under row cover to keep some of the cold air out on the cooler days and colder nights. This also helps with many other things. It’s a great start to the growing season.
Alfalfa Weevil Larvae
If you look closely you can see the larvae resting on a leaf in the alfalfa field the scouts were in. Looking to the right of the larvae, you can see where these have been chewing on the leaves, or defoliating the alfalfa plants.
- Sometimes checking the stems at the base of the leaves is a good idea. The larvae don’t always release during the shaking of the stems into the bucket when scouting for them.
Alfalfa Weevil Larvae:
Third instar
Click here for more information on the Alfalfa Weevil:
Week of May 12 – 16 Scout Summary
AGRONOMIC CROPS:
- Corn and Soybeans: Planting just starting, some corn had sprouted but not yet emerged.
- Alfalfa: Scouts noted alfalfa weevils at first through 3rd instar larval stages. Numbers are higher than the previous week but below threshold level. Alfalfa height noted between 9 to 22 inches.
Week of May 12 – 16 Scout Summary
VEGETABLES:
- Asparagus: Scouts are noting the presence of both asparagus beetles and eggs.
- Cole crops: Cabbage, Cauliflower and Broccoli: Scouts noted the presence of light to moderate levels of flea beetles in some plantings and also detected a few eggs of the imported cabbage worm on some plants.
- Onions and Garlic: Scouts noted the presence of thrips below threshold level on some plants.
- Peas: Doing well at this time with no problems noted.
- High tunnel tomatoes: Scouts reporting tomatoes at bud, bloom and fruit set stage of development. The warmer temperatures since the last scouting visit helped the tomatoes to look better at all locations.
- Sweet corn planted under row cover or early field planted: ranged in size from just spiking through the soil surface to 6 inches tall on some row covered sweet corn. Some light slug damage observed by scouts in sweet corn under row cover.
- Cucumbers: Scouts noted cucumbers in high tunnels at bloom and fruit set stage and other cucumbers planted under row cover approaching bloom stage of development.
→ Other crops noted as planted under row cover include green beans, melons, squash.
- Potatoes: Planted, scouts noted most starting to emerge.
Week of May 12 – 16 Scout Summary
Fruit Update:
- Apples: Codling moth trap numbers increased and in several orchards averaged 3 or more moths per trap. A bio-fix date has been set as May 12. Growing degree days (GDD) are being tracked to determine when pesticide application needs to be made to control codling moth larvae. Depending upon variety, apple stage of development ranged from bloom to petal fall.
- Peaches: Scouts are continuing to note winter damage. Most trees do not have blossoms. A few trees have a couple of blossoms. Oriental fruit moth catches were very high. A bio-fix date of May 7 was set. GDD are being tracked.
- Strawberries: Scouts noted strawberries are in bloom. It is important to use fungicides during the infective bloom period to prevent botrytis gray mold of strawberry fruit. Scouts also noted a few spittle bugs and some leaf spot on strawberry plants.
- Grapes: Scouts noting some cluster development. Early season fungicide spray for control of grape black rot and phomopsis cane blight needs to continue.
- Brambles, Blackberries and Raspberries: Scouts noted the presence of the lesser carpenter bee, which bores into bramble canes. Scouts are watching for orange rust.
-
Blueberries: Most plants are in full bloom. Scouts noted yellow leaves in one planting. Very probably the yellow leaves are related to soil pH being too high.
Fire Blight of Apple Trees
Plum Curculio Stings
These are stings from the Plum Curculio on forming fruit. These don’t only attack plums, but also apples, peaches, pears, cherries, quince, and other wild and cultivated fruits.
For more information on the Plum Curculio click the link below:
Pollination of Apple Trees
The bees are out and doing a great job pollinating!
Week of May 5-9 Scout Summary
Fruit Update
Apples:
- Codling moth trap numbers were low across all orchards. No bio-fix date has been set. Depending upon variety, apple stage of development ranged from bud to pink to bloom starting.
Peaches:
- Scouts are continuing to note winter damage. Most trees do not have blossoms. A few trees have a couple of blossoms. Monitoring for oriental fruit moth began this week.
Strawberries:
- Scouts noted that some strawberries were starting to bloom.
Grapes:
- Scouts noting some winter injury and winter kill on some vines. Other vines are beginning to bud and leaf out. Early season fungicide spray for control of grape black rot and phomopsis cane blight will need to begin at the 1-3 inch shoot growth stage.
Brambles, Blackberries and Raspberries:
- Scouts are seeing winter kill back to the soil level on thornless black berries. Thorny type blackberries and all raspberries are leafing out normally.
Blueberries:
- Some varieties are starting to bloom. Scouts noted yellow leaves in one planting. Very probably the yellow leaves are related to soil pH being too high.