Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
trying to purchase varieties that are resistant to expected
diseases.
I recommend St. Lawrence Nurseries in Potsdam, New York,
but there are other reputable nurseries as well. An invaluable
Internet resource at the time of this writing is Garden
Watchdog, at
www.davesgarden.com
. Garden Watchdog has
a listing for almost every company in the gardening business
and a list of feedback from customers along with ratings.
Check out any mail-order nurseries with Garden Watchdog
before ordering.
In addition to ordering high-quality trees that are likely to be
less susceptible to problems, you should work proactively to
keep pest problems minimal by making sure plants that attract
beneficial insects are already established where the trees will
be planted. Most notably, this means clover. Clover attracts
insects that feast on the most tenacious pests of apple-family
trees and fruits such as codling moths, apple maggots, and
plum curculios. The exact type of clover to be planted will
vary with the condition of the soil, expected temperatures,
and expected precipitation. A good resource for selecting the
right variety of clover is a comprehensive organic gardening
catalog like that from Peaceful Valley Farm Supply.
Plant trees in the spring, and spray them for the first time in
the fall with dormant oil that smothers and controls
overwintering insects. The following spring spray the trees
with a lighter horticultural oil in spring when the buds have
swelled but not yet blossomed. Also spray them with either a
lime sulfur or organic copper-based fungicide according to
label directions every spring after their first year. Traps for
common problem insects such as codling moths or apple
