Most people wouldn’t argue apples taste good. They can be sweet or tart, red or green, large or small. According to health experts, they are good for us, too. Color and taste preferences aside, when a consumer goes to the grocery store, they expect to find decent-looking apples, too — free of wormholes and insect bites. Insects … Read more
For four years now, researchers at Penn State University, led by plant pathologist Kari Peter, Ph.D., have been battling the sudden demise of young dwarf apple trees in high-density systems. The damage was first noticed when trees, planted in one block at the plant pathology research farm, began to die off rapidly. The decline and … Read more
Spring planting is probably on your mind. Whether you’re waiting for new varieties to arrive, or old favorites that have regained their popularity, replanting the orchard is an ongoing task. – Root of Replant Disease It’s also cause for concern. Trees planted in the same soils where others have been removed often show signs of stunted … Read more
The root of tree health is fertility, and fertility begins in the soil. Simply amending the soil or using a foliar spray each season isn’t the answer to orchard fertility; these are merely tools used to address concerns. – Building Tree Fruit Fertility “Nutrition needs to be something that we do every day, not just once … Read more
New Mexico State University and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture will host the annual fruit growers’ workshop March 4 at the Santa Fe County Fair Building, 3229 Rodeo Road, in Santa Fe. “This workshop will be good for folks wanting to learn more about starting an orchard or renovating an existing one,” said Shengrui Yao, NMSU … Read more