Plum Curculio

General Fruit Growing
#21

Someone else mentioned that so I picked it up and started doing it. I always add some, not sure its helping or not but it only takes a few seconds to throw it in. 1/25tsp per gallon.

#22

1/25 tsp. Thatā€™s a pinch or less :grinning:

#23

Yes, hardly any.

On the general topic of PC, this year I have so far found a few PC bites on my Spring Satin and my Nadia, but on nothing else. I put down nematodes last year and I am wondering if they helped out as I am seeing much less damage than I usually do. (there are a couple threads here on nematodes - e.g. Nematodes for PC control) My apricots are almost too big to be bitten and I have not found a single bite on them so far.

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#24

Approximately what is the size apricots when the PC quit biting them and does this also apply to plums and pluots. Thanks, Bill

#25

Hi Scott,

How long does the PC cycle last in your area?

Thanks,

Richard

#26

PC can go through up to 7 generations, if you donā€™t pick up the fallen
infected fruit. Which means youā€™ll be constantly spraying.

#27

Where I live in the northeast, PC has 1-2 generations.

OFM has up to 5 generations in one growing season. Iā€™ve seen flagging shoot damage way into late Sept.

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#28

Generally by quarter sized on any fruit the PC has lost interest, and even a bit smaller than that. The PC worm needs to get into the seed before it hardens or the seed cannot be eaten and the fruit will not abort. The only exception on this timing I have seen is prune plums, they love to bite the necks at larger sizes, even if the seed may be hard by then.

I should add one minor revision to my remark above that they start biting at dime-sized. Its slightly smaller than that, more like AA battery size (the diameter of the battery). This is on stone fruits, on apples and pears its pea sized. I found a few bites on some asian pears that are big peas now.

In the mid-atlantic it has only one generation per year, two further south, and I donā€™t think it has 7 anywhere. It sounds like you are thinking of OFM?

In any case picking up drops is very important. I forgot I was much more diligent last year on picking up drops, and that surely helped reduce my population this year. So, it was not just the nematodes that helped me.

For me my last spray is around the end of May. PC pressure is high for about five weeks, hit it hard in that period.

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#29

Thanks

#30

Weā€™re supposed to have only one PC generation here, but I always find larvae in nearly-mature plums, especially prune plums. The earliest to ripen can be assumed infested

#31

I also get those, and believe they are from the neck-bites I mentioned above - they are later strikes and since the larvae canā€™t eat the seed they stay on the tree. The neck bites can also happen on non-prune plums but they favor prune plums for them. Its important to keep the control on the Euro plums going a bit longer than on the other fruits, otherwise you can get a lot of these late neck bites.

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#32

what is MSG?

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#33

Youā€™re right Scott, I got the two confused, but picking up drops is the key
for both. I usually only spray twice

#34

Monosodium glutamate, flavor enhancer. It is used a lot in Asian sauces and dishes esp. Chinese food.

#35

Got it, thanks. I knew what MSG was, but not in the context of spraying it on my trees I guess.

#36

Scott mentioned it last year. I was surprised but happy to give it a try. I went out and bought a large bag of it (before knowing how much it is needed per a gallon of water. With the bag I have, it could last until the next millennium. Iā€™d be happy to send it to you but with sending white powder in the mailā€¦better not :smile:

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#37

Iā€™ve gotten lots of neck bights on Chickasaw type plums before as well as on Mariana plums which probably should be more or less lumped in with European plums even though one of the parents to this variety is the native Monson plum.

#38

I figured out that covering apricot tree with mosquito netting doesnā€™t help against PC. I covered my apricot right after last blooms fall, today I see PC damage under the net. Did PC got to the tree before I covered, or it actually can crawl inside where net is not one piece? I mostly was protecting from moths, they canā€™t crawl underā€¦ What is a best thing to spray once right before I cover the tree next year? I will try to do a better job making net secure, but if they come in before I cover it wouldnā€™t help. Also, can I cover BEFORE tree started to flower? I know apricot is self pollinated, but does it need pollinating insects anyway? And also, can PC overwinter under woodchips that cover soil under my trees? Then net protection is completely useless against PC. Sad story. :disappointed:

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#39

Spray before you cover!:yum:

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#40

I know, pc is wickedly disappointing!

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