February 2, 2004

SPRAY BULLETIN

The 2004 Virginia/West Virginia/ Maryland Spray Bulletin For Commercial Tree Fruit Growers will be available by mid-February, however, the cost is yet to be determined.  Contact the WVU KTFREC at 304-876-6353 or at ggimbel@wvu.edu after mid-February to determine availability and cost.  The Spray Bulletin is available on the Web as PDF files at: http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/treefruit/456-419/456-419.html.

ENTOMOLOGY

Periodical cicada will have a major impact this spring throughout many counties in West Virginia and neighboring states.  Brood X, which has the widest geographical distribution and is the most numerous, will begin emerging from the soil after mid-May.  Males announce their presence by a droning noise as they call for mates.  Females begin laying eggs in pencil-diameter branches of many tree species, including all fruit trees, about 10-14 days after emergence and continue through most of June.  Egg-laying results in the death of branches distal to the wounds, and can be very damaging to the structure of young fruit trees. Pruning this winter should be reduced on mature trees and delayed on young trees until the end of egg-laying, in order to distribute injury over more branches to reduce breakage.  Planting of new orchards should also be delayed until the fall, especially if trees are feathered, unless physical barriers will be installed to prevent egg-laying injury. Young trees up to 2-3 years old may be protected economically with tubular plastic netting.  Net-All insect netting is a 3/8-inch mesh x 3 ft. diameter sleeve that is slipped over the tree and tied off at the top and around the trunk.  The netting is cut to length (based on tree height) from a 375 ft. ($50) or 500 ft. ($66.70) roll.  Net-All insect netting is available from:  Tipper Tie-Net, PO Box 520, 390 Wegner Drive, West Chicago, IL 60185; phone: 630-293-3737 or 1-800-736-0990; contact: Lisa Vacco.

PLANT PATHOLOGY

Peach leaf curl should be controlled in the spring with a fungicide application before the buds swell, unless you already applied fungicide in the fall. If leaf curl was severe in your peach and nectarine blocks in 2003, and you made your fall fungicide application to control the disease for 2004, a spring fungicide application may be needed to ensure complete disease control. In orchards where careful monitoring is practiced and where leaf curl has not been present for two or more years, this spray can be omitted this year. For best control of peach leaf curl, make a dilute application of fungicide under calm conditions, making sure to cover each bud thoroughly. Using one of the fixed coppers for the leaf curl spray may help suppress bacterial spot in blocks where this disease is a problem.

HORTICULTURE

Once again the weather in 2003 had a definitive impact on tree fruit and small fruit production in the region.  The cold wet winter followed by cool spring temperatures, above average rainfall and little frost damage, provided for relatively good bloom conditions overall;  return-bloom was spotty in some areas however.  The weather did create marginal conditions for optimal pollination.  Fruit set in peaches was above average and the crop was forecast to be very good.  Peaches developed good size but flavor was off in some varieties, a result of cloudy days and excessive rainfall.  The apple crop was above normal but also affected by the weather, particularly with high levels of scab infections.  Sugar content in apples was also generally down and never reached optimum levels in most varieties.  The generally heavy fruit set in both apples and peaches created challenges for growers relative to thinning practices.  There were increased labor costs for hand thinning peaches, and timing and rate decisions for chemical thinning of apples.  Apple fruit size was generally good to excellent but storage may become a problem in some varieties because of high water content.  Because of the excessive moisture the past year and a half, growers are urged to re-evaluate their orchard nutrition program, particularly for nitrogen.  The acres of small fruit plantings, particularly red raspberries, blackberries and strawberries is slowly increasing as tree fruit growers begin to diversify their operations.  Production is being marketed fresh through farm markets.  Chemical pest control measures in small fruit remain somewhat limited but there are indications more products are being licensed for use on small fruits.  The wet weather in the early fall was also hard on small fruit as Botrytis (gray mold) became a severe problem in primocane red raspberries.

The 2004 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention = Outstanding.  Dr Hogmire and I just returned from the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention in Hershey, Pa (1/27-29).  This is an excellent convention for several reasons: it’s close and easy to get to; registration costs are not prohibitive; facilities are excellent and the program is truly outstanding with more than 150 industry exhibits. The educational programs covered apple and peach production, small fruit, vegetables, marketing, irrigation, cut flowers, bedding plants and etc.  I urge you to include this outstanding convention in your schedule for next year.  We'll be sure to alert you to the dates in the fall newsletter.

Agri-Tourism Workshops to be Presented for Farmers.  West Virginia farmers engaged in or considering alternative sources of income are invited to attend one of four regional agri-tourism workshops to be presented by the West Virginia Cultural Heritage Tourism Program.  Agri-tourism includes alternative ways that farm families can make revenue from their land, such as farm tours, pick-your-own or direct-to-visitor markets, or entertainments such as corn mazes.  Agri-tourism can help bring the customer to the producer, and can help many farm families make the difference in maintaining a profitable business.

“A growing national trend is for urban and suburban residents to explore rural areas and buy rural products and experiences,” according to Scott Gerloff, CEO of the Potomac Heritage Partnership, a regional non-profit specializing in cultural heritage tourism.  “West Virginia farmers and small businesses are perfectly situated to take advantage of this opportunity.”

These workshops are  designed for participants who are currently engaged in this form of tourism or for those who are considering the possibilities.  Attendees will learn about the potential of agri-tourism by looking at examples of successful efforts, national and regional trends and hearing about state and national programs that can assist in these efforts. The workshops will also present the pragmatic pros and cons of operating such businesses from customer service to managing risks and liabilities. 

Speakers include Mr. Gerloff, James A. Maetzold of National Alternative Enterprises and Agritourism Leader USDA, Andre Nabors of West Virginia Division of Tourism, Cindy Martel and Kelli Boles of West Virginia Department of Agriculture, Kim Donahue of Small Business Work Force, and farmers/small businesses currently engaged in agri-tourism.  Also participating will be representatives from West Virginia USDA Rural Development State Office.

Local workshops will be held:

February 13^th from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Keyser at the Grand Central Business Center Conference Room.
February 16^th from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., followed by a local panel in Charles Town in the Jefferson Memorial Hospital Community Room.

Registration fee is $15.00.

Workshops are made possible by a grant from the Small Business Work Force, which underwrites training for small businesses.  Sponsors are West Virginia Development Office, Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, West Virginia Division of Tourism, West Virginia Department of Agriculture, WV Small Business Development Centers, Small Business Work Force, and the Potomac Heritage Partnership.  In addition to these, each workshop has benefitted from local sponsors.

The West Virginia Cultural Heritage Tourism Program’s mission is to use the state’s historic, cultural, natural resources to establish sustainable heritage tourism programs for the purposes of stimulating economic opportunities and preserving and conserving these resources. The West Virginia Development Office and the Preservation Alliance are the lead organizations in the program with a twenty-seven-person Steering Committee providing guidance.

For questions or to register, please call Carrie Williams at 1-800-982-3386 ext. 711 (cwilliams@wvdo.org), or send a $15 check, indicating which workshop you will be attending.  To attend workshop in Keyser make checks out to Preservation Alliance West Virginia.  Checks for Charles Town should be made out to Shepherd College.  

Send to:    Carrie Williams
                Main Street West Virginia
                WV Development Office
                Capitol Complex, Building 6/553
                Charleston, WV  25305

March 17, 2004
WVU Tree Fruit Research and Education Center
Kearneysville, W. Va.

Morning                                     Presiding: Henry Hogmire

  8:00                            Registration - $15.00 on site; $12.00 by March 8
                                        (covers lunch, refreshments and speaker travel expenses)

  8:30                            West Virginia State Horticultural Society President’s Address –
                                        George Behling, President

  8:45                            West Virginia State Horticultural Society Annual Business Meeting –
                George Behling, President

  9:00                            Agricultural Product Processing Center –
                Roger Boyer, Project Coordinator, Potomac Headwaters RC & D

  9:15                            Growing Brambles in West Virginia –
                Richard Zimmerman, WVU Horticulturist