Fruit Production Decisions Lee Beers OSU Extension Trumbull County Materials by Eric Barrett & Maurus Brown

Fruit Production Decisions Lee Beers OSU Extension Trumbull County Materials by Eric Barrett & Maurus Brown

Air & Sunlight Reduces Disease 1. Water in the morning, afternoon if you have more control 2. Water low to the ground, trickle if possible 3. Prune and shear as necessary 4. Space Plants Apart for circulation 5. Lift Certain Plants for even more circulation

Information Disclaimer You won t be able to write it all down I can answer questions after Search will get you most of the detail, i.e. peach university extension

IPM

IPM Some fruit crops have lots of pests and diseases Some fruit crops have a few pests and diseases Small scale and organic production choice should start with: IPM decision Selection of type, site, varieties Plan, Plan, Plan!

IPM What you do every day just not always as well as you want to because of time but IPM can save you a lot of money down the road if done correctly!

IPM Multiple strategies used to avoid economic damage to crops and to minimize environmental disturbance cultural and mechanical practices to prevent pest outbreaks from developing biological control to encourage the pest s natural enemies to survive and attack the pests chemical control, which is usually used when cultural and biological controls are inadequate and a crop needs to be rescued from a damaging pest population.

IPM 1. Scout. Collect pest samples. 2. ID the pest causing damage. 3. Disease, Insect, Weed, Wildlife? 4. Use appropriate control measures directed at pest 5. The label is the law. 6. Avoid misuse - pest must be listed on label. (even on organic chemicals) 7. Organic is possible! (just not always as rewarding)

Pre-planning

IPM PLAN before you plant Think about the basics Location Air circulation Cultivar selection Weed control Most Important No wet roots!

Site Selection of Fruits Soil Drainage Well-drained preferred Soil Fertility ph- Acidity of soil 6.5-7.0 is preferred except for blueberries (5.0-5.5). Take a soil test before planting Water-holding capacity Depth of Topsoil Water Penetration-Access to Water Addition of Organic Matter-Important

Site Selection of Fruits Air Drainage 5-15 percent slope-ideal Upper two-thirds of hill Face southeast and below ridge Full Sunlight- Minimum of 6-8 hours of sun daily Location in Landscape

Grafting

Types of Rootstocks Rootstocks influence: Size of plant Hardiness When fruit is produced How well plant is anchored in soil

Considerations with Fruit Pests Weeds What specific weeds impact fruit?

Wildlife Damage

European Hornet Love ripe apples Insecticide use is spotty Best control is prompt removal of ripe fruit They will sting!

Tree Fruit Diseases

Considerations with Fruit Maturity Early, Mid and Late How long can the apple season be extended in Ohio?

Tree Fruit Production Pome Fruit

Pome Fruit Apples & Pears Dwarf varieties are easier to care for Require regular care program Planning & Selection Consider use, location, disease resistance, etc. Mature size is determined by the rootstock Consider pollinators!

Pome Fruit Planting Full sun Well drained soil, ph 5.5-6.5 Plant in March/ April Make sure the bud union is 2-3 above of soil line Water as needed Culture Necessary!

Pome Fruit

Pome Fruit Fertilization Watering necessary? Weed Control/ Mulching Keep weeds out below canopy Mulch 2-3 inches Pruning Imperative to fruit production Prune when dormant

Pome Fruit Thinning Remove excess fruit by mid-june Pears & Apples- 6 You choose or Mother Nature chooses Insects & Disease The list is endless. IPM!

Life of an orchard farmer

Apple Diseases Fire Blight Bacterial disease Sanitation and pruning Apple Scab Yearly disease Preventative fungicide

Apple Diseases Fly Speck Both are superficial Preventative fungicide Sooty Blotch

Apple Diseases Too Many to List https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of_apple_dis eases Proper IPM!!!!

Central Leader System

Pears Issues Pruning Pests Varieties

Pears? Fire Blight If warm, humid conditions occur during flowering, disease can develop rapidly. Once infected, the plant will harbor the pathogen indefinitely. Pears bloom first. Pears extremely susceptible. Bees can spread.

Pear Diseases Pear Scab Not too common Preventative fungicide

Tree Fruit Production Stone Fruit

Stone Fruit Tart cherries & plums- hardy Peaches, nectarines & apricots- challenging Dwarf varieties are easier to care for Require regular care program Planning & Selection Consider use, location, disease resistance, etc.

Stone Fruit Thinning Remove excess fruit by mid-june Thin 4-6 apart for peaches Thin 2-3 apart for plums Apples- 6 You choose or Mother Nature chooses Insects & Disease The list is endless. Scout & spray!

Stone Fruit Varieties Pruning different?

Stone Fruit Tree Pruning

Open Center System

Cherries Issues Wildlife Varieties Sweet Sour

Peaches and Nectarines Issues Hardiness Insects Diseases Wildlife

Tools!

Instruments Pruners By-Pass? Crushing? ½ inch and smaller Snippers Loppers By-Pass ½ to 1 ½ inch branches, depending on size of loppers Pruning saw Pruning saws are all different from the basic carpenter s saw in that pruning saws cut by being pulled through the cut while carpenter s saws cut by pushing through the cut. ½ inch and larger Pole saw/pruner You should not be straining if so, use a larger tool!

Equipment Maintenance Oil File Dull tools are difficult to use More work for the pruner Dull tools tear wounds, make rough/jagged cuts Result in poor wound closing Sharpen to a bevel not a point Sanitation 10% bleach solution (can cause corrosion) Alcohol

The Cuts

Why do we cut? Increase sunlight penetration Air flow (decreases disease and insect problems) Remove less productive wood Shape the crown into an efficient, stable form

What gets cut first? In this order Dead Damaged Diseased Defective

What gets cut first? In this order Dead Damaged Diseased Defective

Cut What? Small trees When in doubt cut it out! Larger trees It depends

How to cut branches Leave branch collar Try to make a cut that will not allow water to sit

Small Vs. Large Branches

Cut ¼ from bud that will grow in the desired direction

End product! Open!

Helping wounds heal

Conditions

Pruning Conditions 1. Temperature extremes Too Cold = Death of the living cells in the vascular cambium - slowing callusing and closing of wound Too Hot = Excessive transpiration slows closing of wounds due to sap flow or the drying of surface cells in the vascular cambium. 2. Moisture humidity extremes High humidity and plenty of moisture in the soil are the best conditions for pruning. 3. Time of day In the morning when temperatures are cool and the plant is turgid, there is less adverse effect to the plant.

Pruning Conditions 4. Time of year Early spring encourages even more new growth Dormancy - re-growth is slower Post Dormancy - Early spring can bring on much new growth Mid-summer controls new growth Late-summer encourages new growth (risk freeze injury?) 5. When flower buds are set When does it flower? 1 st rule just after flowering! Most plants flowering in spring to early summer will set the flower buds the previous summer and fall These plants need to be pruned within weeks after flowering in order not to remove next year s flowers. 2 nd Rule There are exceptions!

Small Fruit Production PawPaw

pawpaw

Pawpaw Native, lives to zone 5 Natural, shade. Best production sun Protect from wind Slightly acidic soil, down to 5.5 Cultivars: Overleese, Taytwo, Mary (Foos) Johnson, Sunflower NOT self pollinating. Protogynous flowers. Stigma ripens before pollen. Thus, flower s design insures the flower will not pollinate itself.

Small Fruit Production Other

Mulberry Large tree up to 40 Fruit difficult to harvest Great for jelly or fresh Birds LOVE it! Messy, messy, messy

Citrus Houseplants! Grafted plants seeds? 6-7 years to fruit During the winter months water sparingly, stop fertilizing, and keep the plant in a warm, draft-free place. Fruit? Very tart Decorative & Fragrant! Factsheet: Vermont

Pineapple 1 fruit attached Real fruit? 6 tall, 6 wide! Half sand, half potting mix 2 months for roots White trash bag humidity & light diffusion Factsheet: New Hampshire & New Mexico

Fruit Production Extension Resources

Small Fruit Production Publications Midwest Grape Production Guide (OSU Extension Bulletin 919) Midwest Strawberry Production Guide (OSU Extension Bulletin 926) Midwest Small Fruit Pest Management Handbook (OSU Extension Bulletin 861) Brambles Production, Management and Marketing (OSU Extension Bulletin 782) Controlling Diseases and Insects in the Home Planting (OSU Extension Bulletin 780) Midwest Commercial Small Fruit and Grape Spray Guide 2006 (OSU Extension Bulletin 506B2) Fertilizing Fruit Crops (OSU Extension Bulletin 458)

Small Fruit Production Publications Small Fruit Crop Management. 1990. (Editors) Gene J. Galletta and David G. Himelrick, Prentice Hall, Englewood, New Jersey. ISBN: 0-13-814609-8. Insect and Mite Pests of Grapes in Ohio (OSU Extension Bulletin 730) Disease Management Guidelines for Organic Grape Production in the Midwest (OSU Plant Pathology Department Series 121) Disease Management Guidelines for Organic Strawberry Production in the Midwest (OSU Plant Pathology Department Series 122) Disease Management Guidelines for Organic Bramble Production in the Midwest (OSU Plant Pathology Department Series 123) OSU Extension Fact Sheets Ohioline: http://ohioline.osu.edu/