Organic Apple Grower’s Hour: August 14 Summary

Participants (7 total): Deirdre Birmingham, Mineral Point, WI; Sam Atkins, Bayfield, WI; Bob Willard, Rochester, WI; Linda Hezel, Kearney, MO; John Aue, Richland Center, WI; Lisa DiPietro, Madison, WI; Michael Phillips, Groveton, NH
Discussion Topics:
1. Current events at Michael’s orchard: apple maggots and Entrust spheres, first apples have fallen off of Duchess, picking up drops weekly
2. A biocontrol story: how the presence of green apple aphids can encourage the predation of wooley apple aphids
3. Saving money by buying liquid fish in a 55 gallon drum rather than in 5 gal buckets
4. Addressing an increase in secondary Lepidoptera pests when using a spray program that targets internal feeders
5. Fall sanitation: “stirring the biological stew,” encouraging bioantagonists such as the microsphaeropsis fungal family, flail mowing, light application of lime, spreading compost, ground spray of neem oil and liquid fish, leaf raking, etc.
6. Deer barriers and repellents: dogs, fences, frozen coyote carcasses
7. Integrating chickens in an orchard ecosystem: chicken tractors, nitrogen considerations, etc.
If you would like to hear the call recording, dial (712) 432-1284, then enter this access code: 868736. Each week’s recording will be available via telephone until it is erased by the following week’s call.
Download the audio recording