Hey...thanks for referring to my work's website! That said, the New
England Apple Pest Management Guide, of which there is a newer version than
that one, is geared primarily towards commercial folks. While it is an
excellent guide for learning pest life cycles and management strategies,
some of the items really don't apply to homeowners. The use of NAA for
sucker control is, in my opinion, too risky...that hormone, when it gets to
other parts of the tree, can do funny things....thin fruit when you don't
want them thinned, reduce fruit size, stunt shoot growth, etc. Also, I
don't remember if Tre-Hold is still available, although I sort of remember
a discussion on the Apple-Crop list concerning its availability and
skyrocketing cost, but I know that it is a restricted use material, i.e.
you need a pesticide applicator's license to purchase/use it.
I agree with the previous post- summer prune. It's cheap, safe, and it
works. Just concentrate on removing watersprouts only, don't get caught up
in training the tree. I give my guys a pole pruner only, tell them to
concentrate on the top, and spend no more than five minutes per tree.
TB
=================================================================
Terence Bradshaw
Pomona Tree Fruit Service
1189 Wheeler Road
Calais, VT 05648
(802)229-2004
madshaw@innevi.com
The views represented are mine and mine only...
[NAFEX] Re: Water sprouts,
Terence Bradshaw, 03/03/2003