Poverty Lane Orchards
98 Poverty Lane
Lebanon, NH 03766
United States
Registration ends on March 21, 2025, at 12 noon. Space is limited, so be sure to register online early! If you have trouble registering, you may call the Merrimack County Extension office between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Mon-Fri) at 603-255-3556. Contact Jeremy DeLisle with workshop questions at jeremy.delisle@unh.edu.
The University of New Hampshire Extension and UMass Stockbridge School of Agriculture have partnered with the New Hampshire Fruit Growers Association to offer a full-day workshop designed to provide apple growers with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) tools for controlling plum curculio and apple maggot fly. The focus will be on grower-friendly approaches to prevention and management, including organic pest management options. Participants will receive free educational materials and supplies to implement IPM practices on their farms.
This in-person workshop will feature a combination of research presentations and hands-on grafting activities. Research presentations will set the stage during the morning portion of the program. Then, commercial grafters Raul and Mary Godinez, experienced orchardists, and Extension specialists will lead instruction on grafting techniques in the afternoon. Participants will practice grafting, engage in group discussions, and gain practical experience in grafting. Weather permitting, there will be an opportunity to practice in the orchard after the indoor portion of the workshop.
Why Grafting Cultivars to Existing Trees Matters:
Grafting additional cultivars onto existing apple trees offers numerous benefits. One key advantage is its potential role in improved monitoring and management of plum curculio (PC) and apple maggot fly (AMF). Research has shown that certain cultivars are particularly attractive to these pests. Grafted trees can serve as "trap trees," drawing PC and AMF away from the rest of the orchard, reducing the need for insecticide applications in the surrounding orchard blocks. More details on the findings of this research will be shared at the workshops.
As orchardists know, it takes two full growing seasons for an apple branch to produce flowers and fruit. Since the fruit of these selected cultivars is the main attractant for PC and AMF, adopting this cultural practice now will allow orchardists to benefit sooner. As the saying goes… “The best time to graft a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” Something like that anyway.
Join us for an interactive day of learning and leave with actionable knowledge of IPM practices that can be immediately implemented on your farm.
What to Bring:
- Grafting knife (well-sharpened). A few grafting knives will be available for participants to use if they do not have one.
- Handheld pruning shears
- All other materials will be provided.
Pesticide Recertification Credits are pending
This workshop is made possible through the collaborative efforts of:
Individual orchardists, NH Fruit Growers Association, UMass Extension, UNH Extension, the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Agenda
9:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Introductions and Workshop Overview
Steve Wood & Jeremy DeLisle
10:00 - 10:40 a.m.
What's New and What Works: "Attract and Kill" Innovations for Plum Curculio Control
Jaime Piñero
Using attractive lures to monitor and control plum curculio in a reduced pesticide spray environment.
10:40 - 11:20 a.m.
Controlling Apple Maggot Fly with Perimeter-Row Insecticide Sprays
Jaime Piñero
A grower-friendly IPM strategy developed from a 3-year study assessing AMF control in commercial orchard blocks using synthetic lures deployed in perimeter-row trees combined with insecticide sprays containing 3% sugar.
11:20 - 11:35 a.m.
Coffee Break
11:35 - 12:00 p.m.
Entomopathogenic Nematodes for Plum Curculio and Apple Maggot Fly Control
Jaime Piñero
Biological control options for key apple pests involving soil applications of insect-killing nematodes.
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch (provided)
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Hands-on Grafting
Grafting Team
Tools, techniques, practices, one-on-one and group instruction.
3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Wrap-up and Distribution of Free Materials
Jeremy DeLisle, Steve Wood, Jaime Piñero
Participants will receive materials (scion wood, methyl salicylate lures, AMF lures) and PAT recertification credits.
If you need an accommodation to participate in our programming, please contact Jeremy DeLisle, jeremy.delisle@unh.edu and (603) 255-3592 prior to the event. Given ample time, we will make any reasonable effort to meet your needs, including language access services if requested, which will be provided free of charge.
