To hear audio recording, call 508-258-9191.
No change from last week regarding sweep catches. Good sweeping weather is still not here. Very few small spanworms and a few weevils reported. Bogs do seem wet but the the talk is that we are in early drought for the area. Marty has gotten calls about dead spots; diagnosing is on-going.
It’s not too early to be organizing your lures and pheromone traps supplies. Pheromone traps aid in the timing of management for Spag, black-headed fireworm and cranberry girdler. These should be placed on the upwind side of the bog by June 1.
Now is the time to apply Casoron or Kerb for dodder control. The window for Casoron (which acts primarily to inhibit seed germination) is quickly closing. Kerb provides both pre-emergence and early postemergence control. It will inhibit the “searching” ability of the dodder seedlings such that they cannot successfully attach to a host. Looking at loading areas for seedlings (a bit easier) can help you know when to start looking for seedlings on the bog. You may need to pull back the canopy to find them. If you use Kerb, remember that you will need to submit a use report to MDAR by November. Forms will be available on our website once MDAR provides them to us.
The window for Zeus application is closed unless you have late varieties in a cold location. Do not apply if your buds are at cabbagehead or beyond; you will get vine injury.
The new SLN for Devrinol 2XT permits multiple and later applications of the herbicide on established plantings (the previous one was good for new plantings only). You can do 6-9 qt/A per application not to exceed 18 qt/A. Later timings could improve control of seed germination of warm-season perennials such as Poverty Grass. You can find the label here: https://ag.umass.edu/cranberry/services/special-pesticide-labels.
The window for sprays for upright dieback is now for most locations (at bud break and/or early bud expansion) and has begun new growth. Not all fungicides (especially many of the generics) are labeled for URD. If the Phytophthora diagnosis is confirmed, the ideal time for Phytophthora fungicide applications is when soil temperatures are conducive for root development and pathogen multiplication (May, June, July and August). Be sure you have a diagnosis for Phytophthora and improve your drainage before spending money on fungicides.
We will be hosting an in-person bogside workshop at the Cranberry Station on Wednesday June 8 from 9-10 am; 1 contact hour offered.
