WooHoo – get the shorts out!  By next week, we’ll be giving Riverhead a run for its GDD money!

Of course this makes everything speed up so since you have all been scouting, you have a good handle on what is coming your way.

Champlain                           94           188

Geneva                                123         227

Riverhead                           201         237

Another great place to find scouting information – associated with GDD is the Branching Out newsletter.  If you haven’t subscribed, you can at http://branchingout.cornell.edu/

This week there is information on elongate and cryptomeria scale, Eastern spruce gall adelgid, and Swiss needlecast and Rhabdocline needlecast on Douglas fir.  The Dougs at our research site in Geneva are all at about the right stage to spray.

You can also sign up for UMass’ Landscape message which has useful information on insects and diseases that relate to Christmas trees.  https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/landscape-message

They mention the probable increase in disease pressure with the increasing temperatures and likely rain. Some things like the needlecasts above and Rhizosphaera needle cast on spruce (https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/rhizosphaera-needle-cast) infect needles when they are young and tender, but don’t show any symptoms on those needles until later.

Time to keep an eye out for gypsy moth larvae hatching, especially where you have had them before. GDD- 99-448 (which suggests to me the possibility of 2 hatches?). Best control is when they are small and you can use the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) products.

Have a great (and warm) week!