DonRicks wrote:
okay....an update on the weather since I last wrote.....the first couple weeks of May could be unusually dry.....good for pollenation but not for those hating the spotted wing drosophilia fly.
Here is what Rufus says:
"Farm Points: For now, the key issues for growers are, 1) early irrigation, at least during the first half of May and 2) if your operation is fruit based, an SWD program that will need to be up & running to protect early season fruit, should the warm weather extend into late May/June. >> This will be the first truly warm spring weather since the invasive species arrived in 2009, which may set up SWD impacts early in the summer that, frankly, we haven't yet experienced."
My note: This could also hasten the time of the arrival of the codling moth this month....more on that later.
Yes, I have thought that the warmer temperatures would be "helpful" to the SWD. I have noticed that my raspberry canes are quite thick this year and I had meant to transplant some to another area to thin them out to have better access for applying my netted bags. I also ran out of bags last year and bought material to make more but I haven't done that either!
]]>
