TODAY IN THE ORCHARD

A truckload of apple branches with fire blight.

Laura did a tour of the entire orchard today looking for pest damage and other potential challenges. Fire blight is back this summer, particularly in the orchard near the old house, where a couple of trees have substantial infection. Other areas of the farm have practically no fire blight. It is important to be vigilant and look at every tree regularly. In the afternoon Laura cut out a truck-load of fire blight. I continued with the task of weeding around every tree and examining the base of the trunk for borers. Once the trees are checked and borers dug out, we will paint the trunks with Neem oil.