North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Jim Freeman" <jf@gctruck.com>]

Hi Steve
We use Sevin XLR exclusively for thinning at the rate of 32oz per 100 gallons 
when 50% of the apples reach 10mm or larger. The thinning activity of Sevin 
is complex and depends on the weather & carbohydrate deficit of the trees. 
You can get more info from the online commercial apple guides produced by 
most states. If you do not want thinning pick another insecticide.
Jim Freeman via mobile

> Message: 
> Date: Fri, 31 May 2013
> 
> Last spring, my apples were quite over run by sawflys. I promised myself 
> that this year, I would spray soon after petal fall to knock the 
> population back down. The last of the petals fell off earlier this week.
> 
> I have Sevin (Carbaryl) and it is one of the pesticides recommended for 
> European Apple Sawfly.
> 
> Sevin is also sometimes used to make apples drop to avoid hand thinning.
> 
> Does anyone here know (not guess) that apples will not be excessively 
> thinned if Sevin is sprayed when the apples are not much bigger that a 
> pea? Does Sevin work better to thin apples later during the normal June 
> drop time and not so much early?
> 
> Steve in the Adirondacks