Author: Norm Deffner
3301 Burek Avenue
Wausau, WI 54401
(715) 675-6495
The 2017 year was notable for the large amount of rainfall – about 37 inches or so. We seldom had to water anything. But because of the large amount of rain and relatively low growing temperatures, we had major fungal problems (scab, mildew and rots). We also had one of the worst years in the last 20
or so for apple maggot and codling moth. The Spotted Wing Drosophila was particularly bad on our raspberries, blackberries and plums (which split open as they ripened).
The only thing that was completely effective against Drosophila, and other bugs, on our blueberries, was putting a fine mesh (wedding gown tulle) over the entire patch right after blossom fall. I also sprayed one time with a fungicide and insecticide just before covering the plants. I held up the fabric over the berry bushes with 6 to 7 foot fiberglass T posts with a plastic cup upside down over the top of the post to prevent fabric tears. To pick the berries I would quickly enter under the fabric on one end of the patch with my berry bucket and a tall bucket to sit on, so no flies, no bugs, no fruit damage – not even mosquitos! Best crop ever!! This method does not work so well on raspberries and stone fruits, for a variety of reasons, but I tried.
For the problems on pome, stone and other fruits, I will try to use appropriate sprays in a more timely and effective manner.
In 2016 we had a killing frost while the pear trees were in full bloom. We still got a fair crop of pears, but they were small and cylindrical in shape rather than “pear” shaped. The most interesting part was that they had no seeds or central core. I think the seeds must be necessary for the fruit to form normally.
Over the past few years I have grafted a number of varieties of apples on G11 rootstocks. So far they have done well in our zone 4A/3B climate. Time will tell.
We have had major damage (loss) of pears and apples from squirrels moving in from the surrounding woods. In one case, in a three day period, they took nearly all the fruit from a late-ripening Regent apple tree, and raccoons took a large batch of our grapes.
Chipmunks took lots of our pie cherries. They left the cherry skin and flesh on the ground, taking only the pits. Too bad I can’t work out some sort of picking arrangement with them. Squirrels, chipmunks and field mice took or damaged a lot of our strawberries. I realize they have to eat, too, but I wish they would go eat something else!
I end up resorting to fencing and trapping to get my share of the produce from my gardening efforts!!
Happy Gardening!
