Whats Happen Country Taste Farm

The snow is finally settling down some melting. Its time to Prune Apple Trees. After many hours in the Class rooms and some hands on training, i feel like i at the least don't damage the trees when i prune. If Fact i have noticed improvement in apple production. But pruning is only the First step in getting a crop of Apples.
 The next step is to put together a plan for insect and disease control.
1. We have some fire Blight, so the next thing we do when the buds reach Silver tip, we will spray the bark of all the trees with "Champ WG" a Organic wettable Powder (Copper Hydroxide). This will be done in early April.
  Next we need to Control: Caterpillars,Codling Moths, Plum Curculio, Apple Maggots and these are only the big Pests.
2. In May (if the Snow is gone LOL) we will scout for  for leaf roller Caterpillars , Place Monitoring Traps for Codling Moths, use tree wrap with tangle foot to monitor for Plum Curculio, & hang traps for Apple Maggots. we monitor weekly and if we notice high levels of a pest we spray with Organic Products such as Pyganic, Or Spinosad.
We stop around the 2nd week in September.
Every winter i enrol in Classes sponsored by the UOM extension, USDA, MFVGA, and some Webinars. At My age you would think i know everything but the young teachers seem to keep coming up with new way to control these pest.
"Know Your Farmer Know Your Food"

Apple Maggot Trap

Pruning Trees

Tree Wrap & Tanglefoot Sticky Glue to caught Plum Curculio

Codling Moth Trap

Apple Maggot Adult

Codling Moth Adult

Plum Curculio Adult