Ah, a pleasure to not be writing disaster news.  And the sun is out and I can see daffodils from my home office.  Sorry to be a day late!

April 11                 Forecast for April 16

Champlain                           2                             3

Geneva                                11                           18

Riverhead                           22                           27

Creeping up there…

What’s coming?

Time to scout for Cooley spruce gall adelgid nymphs (22-91) on Doug fir and spruce.  Check for nymphs on underside of needles especially on bent needles or those with yellow spots – which indicate it was there last year.  You all have records of these things, right?  If not, start.  Would a rating sheet help?

Dormant oil before bud break for these – with the caveat on oils – and the Branching Out article this issue is on using oils. Need your own copy?  https://branchingout.cornell.edu/Subscriptions.html

Keep looking for those weevils (7-58).  I’ve heard of a few in traps.

Not quite yet but soon for Riverhead – balsam twig aphid eggs will hatching (30-100).  That’s the one that creates the twisted needles (as opposed to bent). Look for stem mothers and eggs near buds (to see what they look like – https://extension.psu.edu/balsam-twig-aphid) . Best control is between egg hatch and bud break.  There is a threshold for this insect – if you have less than 3 aphids per tree when you have looked at 10 inches of foliage on 15 trees in an acre, you don’t need to treat.  Check more than once 😊

Eriophyid mites are finishing up hatching (7-22)

That’s enough to keep you a little busy!  Have a great week!