Facts for Fancy Fruit 98-12  
September 9, 1998

Crop Conditions: The season is still running about 10 days ahead of normal. Grape harvest is in full 
swing and apple harvest is picking up speed. WeÕve had a bumper crop of plums at the 
Horticultural Research farm, so if any farm markets can use any, give us a call. Overall, fruit 
quality looks very good. The lack of rain over the past couple of weeks has helped reduce rots, and 
the cooler night temperatures have improved color and flavor. 

Weather Notes:.  The 6-10 day outlook calls for above normal temperature and normal 
precipitation. The medium range outlook for September calls for normal temperature and 
precipitation and the long range outlook call for normal temperature and above normal 
precipitation.
	Temperatures through the month of August averaged about 2 degrees above normal 
statewide while rainfall amounts broke from the pattern of the rest of the summer with below 
normal amounts over most of the state. The exceptions were northcentral and northeast which 
both received above normal rainfall during the month of August. Over the last two weeks (August 
23 - Sept. 4) rainfall has turned off in the state, particularly in the central and southern portions 
with rainfall amounts averaging below normal to much below normal in all but the northeast 
corner. Some areas of the state have received no rain during the last two weeks. Temperatures have 
continued to average 2 degrees above normal across the state.
	September historically is the driest month of the year in most of Indiana with rainfall 
averaging 3 - 3 1/2 inches across the state. Most of the state is well below that at this time. This is 
indicative of La Nina type weather characteristics.
	When looking at the first winter of La Nina historically Ken Scheeringa found that 1958-
59 and 1983-84 had quite cool Falls, with temperatures taking a severe turn in November and 
December, and dramatic temperature drops in December with extreme lows. -by Ken Scheeringa 
from the Purdue Crop and Weather Meeting, Sept. 4, 1998.

Fall Small Fruit Notes: 
Strawberries- 
	Flower bud initiation in the crown of the plants is happening now, determining next years 
yield. So, maintaining good plant health into the fall is important. The recent dry weather can 
have a significant impact on fruitfulness next year because the fruit buds are developing in the 
crowns during August and September for next springÕs crop. Irrigate to provide at least 1 inch of 
water per week. Nitrogen fertilizer should be applied in early September to bring your seasonal 
total up to about 100 lb./acre.  Most growers apply about 70 lb. of nitrogen at renovation. The fall 
application should provide another 30 lb. (more on soils with low organic matter content). This 
stimulates good root growth in the fall and supplies nitrogen needed for flower bud initiation.  
New fields also need to have a total of around 70-80 lb./acre of nitrogen. Ammonium nitrate 
(33% N) is a good fertilizer for the fall. If your leaf tissue analysis shows deficiencies in 
magnesium or boron, early fall is a good time for foliar applications of Epsom salts (15 lb./100 
gal./acre for magnesium) and Solubor (3 lb./100 gal./acre) for boron. Don't make these 
applications on hot humid days, however, or phytotoxicity could result.  Read the labels. In 
addition to keeping up with the fertilizer program, suppressing leaf diseases improves the ability of 
the plant to carry on photosynthesis and store starch in the crowns.  Don't let leaf spot or powdery 
mildew get ahead of you. Check fields for infestations of leafhopper or aphids. Generally, plants 
can take a fair amount of feeding by these insects, but heavy infestations can be a problem.  And, 
aphids in particular, can vector virus diseases and should not be allowed to build up especially 
when they are in the winged form and can disperse to other fields. Weed management at this 
time of year is limited to cultivation and hand weeding/hoeing. The only herbicide you should 
consider using is Poast for controlling grasses. Poast will only work on relatively young, actively 
growing grasses.

Raspberries-
	Encourage hardening off of canes in summer bearing varieties of red and black raspberries 
and blackberries by avoiding nitrogen fertilizers and supplemental watering at this time. Do not 
remove spent floricanes until later in the winter unless they are significantly infected with disease. 
Fall bearing raspberries can still benefit from irrigation in this dry weather to help maintain fruit 
size. Early varieties like 'Autumn Bliss' are starting to run out while 'Heritage' is still going strong, 
although fruit size has dropped off from the early pickings. Based on soil and tissue test results, 
apply non-nitrogen containing fertilizers and lime as needed. For example, Sul-Po-Mag or Epsom 
Salts can be applied now so that fall rains can help wash it into the root zone of the plants. If 
Phytophthora root rot has been identified in a field, treat the affected area with Ridomil Gold or 
Alliette in September or early October. This timing is important to get the material in place in the 
root zone before the onset of cool wet weather (and soil) in the fall. Now is the time to check 
plantings for crown borers. Adults of this pest look like very large yellowjacket, but is actually a 
moth. They are active in the field in August and September laying eggs. Scout the fields for crown 
borer damage by looking for wilting canes. This symptom can also indicate Phytophthora root 
rot, so when you find a plant with a wilting cane (or two), dig up the plant and check the roots for 
brick red discoloration in the core of the roots (Phytophthora) or the presence of a crown borer 
larvae in the crown. Rogue out infested crowns and eliminate wild bramble near the planting, since 
they will harbor more of this pest. Insecticide applications can be made to the canes in October 
and to the crowns (in a drench application) in early spring. Now is a good time to do a weed 
survey and map the weed problems in your planting.  This information will be very useful in 
tailoring your weed management plant so that is effective and not wasteful. 

Blueberries-
	As with raspberries, blueberry plants should be encouraged to harden off for the winter. 
However, growers should continue to irrigate if dry weather persists. Fruit buds are developing 
now for next yearÕs crop so it is important to avoid water stress on the plants during this time. 
DonÕt apply any nitrogen fertilizers at this time. Based on foliar analysis and soil tests, sulfur, lime, 
and some fertilizers can be added now. Apply these before fall rains begin and also before adding 
any supplemental mulch to the plants. As with raspberries, now is a good time to do a weed survey 
and map the weed problems in your planting. This information will be very useful in tailoring 
your weed management plan so that is effective and not wasteful. Diseased or weak plants can 
easily be detected this time of year because they tend to turn red earlier than healthy bushes. 
Upon finding weakened bushes, try to determine the reason for weakness. Check for damage to 
the root system and determine if it is due to a disease infection or damage by voles or grubs. 
Accurate diagnosis is the first step in resolving the problem and avoiding spread. Enlist the help of 
specialists if you have trouble determining the cause of problems. -Adapted from Massachusetts 
Berry Notes, Sept. 1998 by Sonia Schloemann.  

Grape Harvest Notes:  So far, 1998 has been an good year for grapes. Minimal winter injury 
occurred during the mild winter, and little spring frost damage occurred. Most varieties have a 
full crop and required considerable crop load adjustment to reduce yields to reasonable levels. On 
the negative side, birds have been more troublesome than in the past, and sour rot has been a 
problem in southern areas where rainfall coincided with early harvest. Overall, though, the cooler 
weather of late August and early September is leading to excellent quality fruit. Flavor and aroma 
are very pronounced and sugars are high and titratable acidity is relatively low. 

Pinpoint Scab:  Even though it has been dry, you never know when the rains may come...so, wet 
weather during the apple harvest period can lead to the development of pinpoint scab and other 
fruit infecting diseases, such as sooty blotch and fly speck.  Pinpoint scab can infect fruit up to and 
during the harvest period if wet weather persists at this time, however, the symptoms of pinpoint 
scab may not show up until the fruit have been stored for several months.   Late season apple scab 
can also build up on leaves after harvest, resulting in large quantities of primary scab spores the 
following season, even though a good spray program was followed early this year.  Help prevent 
such problems by maintaining scab fungicides in late cover sprays; also do not stop cover sprays 
too early.  Check the label for days-to-harvest restrictions before making the final application.

Collar Rot:   Late summer is a good time to inspect trees for above-ground symptoms of collar 
rot.  Look for weak trees with premature leaf reddening (especially on goldens); sparse, yellow 
foliage; and many small, highly colored fruit.  Keep in mind that such symptoms are general stress 
symptoms that may be caused by a number of factors, eg. wet feet, mouse injury, trunk decay, 
root rot, etc.  However, trees that show the above-described symptoms and also have a canker at 
or just below ground level are likely infected with collar rot.  If collar rot is suspected we advise 
the use of Ridomil 2E in the fall after harvest.  Apply Ridomil as soon as possible after harvest so it 
will be in place before the fall rainy periods begin and possible new infections occur.  Also be sure 
to concentrate your Ridomil treatment on surrounding healthy appearing trees, not just trees 
already showing severe symptoms of collar rot.  Ridomil is best used to prevent collar rot.... not 
cure it. 

Guthion Under Review:  Written comments about the value of Guthion in your pest management 
program will be accepted by the EPA until October 13, 1998.  Guthion is one of the nine 
organophosphates currently under preliminary risk assessment. Submit written comments in 
triplicate to:  Public Information and Records Integrity Branch, Information Resources and 
Services Division (7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 
M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. For further information contact Karen Angulo at (703) 308-
8004; e-mail: angulo.karen@epa.gov. Source: William G. Smith, Pesticide Management 
Education Program, Dept. of Entomology, Cornell University, NY Reprinted from Ohio Small 
Fruit ICM News, Volume 2, Issue 25, August 26, 1998

Grape post harvest disease control:  Growers often neglect to scout their vineyards once harvest is 
complete which can be a costly mistake. Downy and powdery mildews are common diseases that 
often build to epidemic levels on susceptible cultivars in fall. Heavy dews which form on cool 
nights in late summer and fall provide sufficient moisture for sporulation and spread of these 
fungi. Downy and powdery mildew are fairly common this year, though the severity of disease is 
fairly low. Anthracnose and Phomopsis cane and leaf spot are very common this year and in some 
vineyards incidence is high. Growers should continue to scout for diseases as they can ŌexplodeÕ in 
a very short period of time. A severe downy mildew outbreak can cause early defoliation which 
reduces winter hardiness. Powdery mildew reduces photosynthesis and the plantÕs ability to store 
adequate carbohydrates. Allowing either disease to become established greatly increases the 
amount of inoculum that will be in the vineyard next spring. Thus, it is important to maintain 
some protection against this diseases throughout the fall until leaves drop naturally.  
	There are several options available for post harvest downy mildew control; captan, copper 
compounds, mancozeb, or Ziram. Ridomil formulations MZ 58 (Ridomil/mancozeb) and 
Ridomil Copper 70W are registered for use on grapes, however, it is not a good idea to apply 
ridomil to a well established downy mildew infection because of the potential for development of 
fungicide resistance in the fungus. Because of itÕs broad spectrum of activity, the newly registered 
fungicide Abound should be an effective post harvest tool. Captan and mancozeb both provide 
excellent protection against spread of downy mildew. Copper fungicides also provide good 
control, but can cause phytotoxicity on certain varieties and under certain climatic conditions. 
Fixed coppers plus lime are the least likely to cause phytotoxicity.  
	There are also options for powdery mildew control. Sulfur is effective against powdery 
mildew, but many cultivars are sensitive to sulfur, limiting its usefulness. Sulfur should not be 
applied if temperatures greater than 85F are expected. Some cultivars such as Chancellor, Foch, 
Concord, and Cynthiana may be damaged at any temperature. Sterol inhibitors such as Nova, 
Bayleton or Rubigan are available for powdery mildew control on sulfur sensitive varieties. 
However, development of fungicide resistance in the pathogen population is a real concern with 
these materials and their use on existing infections is not recommended. They should be used for 
prevention of disease rather than eradication. JMS stylet oil is one possible alternative, but our 
experience with it is limited, so it should be used with caution. Be sure to thoroughly read the 
label for possible interactions with other materials, especially sulfur and captan, before using JMS 
stylet oil. As with downy mildew, Abound should be an effective post harvest tool.  
	It may not be necessary to apply fungicides post harvest. Growers should scout their 
plantings for problems to determine if fungicides are necessary. Cultivars differ greatly in 
susceptibility to the common diseases. For example, Chancellor and most vinifera cultivars are 
highly susceptible to both powdery and downy mildew and often require post harvest disease 
control. Concord and Foch are only slightly susceptible to downy mildew and moderately 
susceptible to powdery mildew so seldom require post harvest disease control. Other cultivars vary 
in relative susceptibility to diseases, and disease incidence and severity varies with the growing 
season. Apply fungicides only if necessary. Be sure to check for season limits on quantity of 
product allowed and read and follow all label recommendations. Refer to ID-169 for rates, 
comments, varietal susceptibility, and other valuable information.  

Soil management and cover crops:  Fall is a good time for cultivating fields, adding lime and 
fertilizer, and planting cover crops in fruit plantings. Cover crops can be an integral part of the 
overall orchard floor management plan. Growers planning on establishing new orchards or 
vineyards next year should consider a pre-plant soil management program which includes deep 
subsoiling, soil pH adjustment and addition of fertilizer, especially P and K, according to soil test 
recommendations, and planting cover crops. Cover cropping a site the year before planting is an 
excellent way to increase soil organic matter content and control weeds. Several cover crops are 
available for fall planting, and mid to late September is the time to plant in most areas of the state.  
A favorite among growers is winter rye because it performs very well under Indiana conditions. 
Rye not only adds large amounts of organic matter to the soil, but also suppresses the 
development of many annual and perennial weeds. It should be grown until it begins to head-out 
in the spring then treated with post emergent herbicides or incorporated into the soil 
mechanically. When the cover crop is killed with post emergent herbicides, the residue left on the 
surface will provide a mulch layer which will suppress weeds, help conserve moisture, increase 
organic matter, and improve soil structure. Dormant fruit plants or vegetable transplants can be 
set directly into the mulch. There are several other cover crops for fall and spring planting and 
choices depend on the growerÕs specific preferences and needs.

Nursery Stock:  If you plan to plant a fruit planting next spring, the time is running short to order 
plants from nurseries. Most nurseries take orders in winter or spring for the following season, 
giving them a year to propagate the needed plants.  At this time nurseries will only have available 
plants that they have not already committed to another grower. Make your orders soon for 
planting next spring.

Perennial weed control:  Late summer and fall is an excellent time to control troublesome 
perennial weeds by spot spraying with suitable herbicides. Perennial weeds tend to become 
established within the rows in fruit plantings because they are not fully controlled by the normal 
weed control program. Once established, these plants can be difficult to eliminate. Fall is a 
particularly good time to control perennial weeds with glyphosate (e.g. Roundup). As perennial 
plants begin to slow growth and harden off for winter, carbohydrates are transported to the roots 
for storage. Fall applied systemic herbicides will be similarly transported to the root system which 
leads to excellent control. Fall application works equally well on hard to control herbaceous 
perennial weeds such as thistle, dock, smartweed, and morning glory, as well as woody perennials 
such as poison ivy, Virginia creeper, multiflora rose, mulberry, blackberry and so on. The plants 
do not have to be actively growing for good results but should have sufficient active leaf area to 
take up the herbicide. Check the manufacturers product label for specific recommendations.  
NOTE:  Desirable crop plants are also translocating carbohydrates to the roots and can be severely 
injured by fall applied systemic herbicides. Be extra careful when spot treating to AVOID ANY 
CONTACT with desirable plants. Read and follow all label recommendations. 

Fall herbicides for fruit crops:  There are several advantages to fall applications of pre-emergent 
herbicides in fruit crops. Dry soil conditions in the fall allow for equipment travel without 
compaction, weather conditions are more stable giving the grower greater flexibility in application 
times, and there is less likelihood of heavy rains to cause runoff. Fall applications provide control 
of winter annual weeds which can eliminate the need for a post emergent herbicide application the 
following spring. Though weed control from fall applications can last shorter into the following 
growing season than spring applications, a split application can help eliminate this problem. Several 
herbicides registered for use on fruit crops have a recommendation for fall or fall/spring split 
applications. Materials such as Surflan, Devrinol, Princep, Karmex and Kerb perform well in fall or 
fall/spring split applications. See ID-168 and ID-169 for complete weed control 
recommendations.

Small Fruit Pest Management Handbook Wins ASHS Award:  Congratulations to Drs. Richard 
Funt, Michael Ellis, and Celeste Welty of Ohio State University for winning the 1998 ASHS 
(American Society for Horticultural Science) Extension Division Materials Award for Commercial 
Fruit, Vegetable and Herb Production. Their entry, the Midwest Small Fruit Pest Management 
Handbook was published in 1997 as a joint effort of the Midwest Fruit Workers Conference 
which includes university staff from nine midwestern states: University of Arkansas, Iowa State 
University, University of Illinois, Kansas State University, University of Kentucky, University of 
Missouri, Southwest Missouri State University, The Ohio State University, Purdue University, and 
the University of Wisconsin. Funt, Ellis, and Welty were the primary editors and put together an 
excellent publication. Copies are available from the universities listed above or by contacting 
Extension Publications, 385 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Rd., Columbus, OH 43210-1044 614-
292-1607.

Fall Activities on Campus:  There are quite a few things happening on campus in September and 
October that may be of interest to the stateÕs fruit growers. On September 24, the Department of 
Food Science will dedicate their new Food Science Building. This new $22 million facility, with 
itÕs 36 research and teaching labs, 9,000 square foot pilot plant, and computer-integrated 
manufacturing lab will help the Food Science department offer enhanced educational 
opportunities for students and increased benefits for the industry worldwide. On October 2-3 the 
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture will hold a reunion and open house, to 
dedicate the new plant growth facilities. These state-of-the-art greenhouses, growth rooms and 
facilities will allow the department to engage in be highest quality teaching and cutting edge 
research. 

Purdue Enology Library Named:  The Department of Food Science, and Gary Ramona, general 
manager of Forest Glen Winery in Ceres, California have dedicated the Richard P. Vine Enology 
Library in honor of PurdueÕs renowned wine expert. Ramona said the $150,000 donation was to 
recognize VineÕs 30 years of expertise, research and outreach in advancing the science and 
appreciate of wine. 

Purdue Extension Educators to Receive Training on Fruit Crops:  A group of Cooperative 
Extension Agriculture and Natural Resource Educators will be on campus September 16 to take 
part in a training program for fruit production. This will enable the county educators to train 
Indiana Master Gardeners and will lead to increased expertise in fruit production in county 
offices. Peter Hirst and Bruce Bordelon will handle the instruction which is being coordinated by 
Rosie Lerner, state Master Gardener Coordinator. 

Program ideas for the winter meetings:  Please send Peter Hirst, Bruce Bordelon, and/or Dick 
Hayden your suggestions for topics or speakers for the winter meeting programs.  We have a 
number of god suggestions, but need additional ones.  The dates of the meetings are January 26-
27, 1999 so mark your calendar.

Subscribing Electronically:  To subscribe (or unsubscribe) to Facts for Fancy Fruit, send a message 
to fff@lists.hort.purdue.edu with the subject or body "subscribe" (or "unsubscribe"). You can also 
use the form at the web site http://www.hort.purdue.edu/fff/mailinglist.html to submit your 
subscription. Electronic access is free of charge. 


Coming Meetings:

Sept. 12 - Beyond Corn and Beans... Alternative Farming Workshop. Sullivan County 
Fairgrounds, Sullivan, IN. 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Contact Shenna Reynolds, 812-
268-4332.

Sept. 13 - Ohio Valley Harvest Festival, Noon to 6:00 P.M., Riverfront Plaza/Belvedere, 
Louisville, KY. Contact Roy Ballard, Floyd Co. Extension, 8121/948-5470

Sept. 24 -  Purdue University Department of Food Science State Dedication Day for the new 
Food Science Building. 1:30-4:00 p.m. Contact 800-829-3319 or 765-494-8256

Sept. 29-Oct. 1 - Farm Progress Show, Baird Brothers Farm near Windfall in Tipton County. 
Contact Purdue CES at 765-494-8494

Oct. 2-3 -  Purdue University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Reunion 
and Departmental Open House. Contact 765-494-7420

Oct. 16-17 - Beekeeping and Honeybee Pollination Conference. Purdue University campus. 
contact Dave Laney 219-656-8701 or Greg Hunt, 765-494-4605.

Oct. 21 -    Apple variety showcase and tour will be held at Hilltop Nursery, Hartford, Michigan. 
The tour begins at 5 PM followed by a buffet dinner and variety showcase at 6:30 
PM. Contact Mark Longstroth at 616-657-7745 or Hilltop Nursery at 800-253-
2911

Beginning fruitgrowing workshop-On the day before Hort. Congress (January 25) we will be 
holding a one-day workshop on beginning fruitgrowing.  This will cover the basics from site 
selection, to marketing, with a focus on apple and peach production.  This is primarily aimed at 
folks who are new to the industry, or perhaps those just thinking about it.  It might also be a good 
review for some county educators and established growers.  There will be a separate registration 
for this workshop, and numbers will be limited.  Watch Facts for Fancy Fruit for more details.

Cider- Many of you are gearing up to make cider.  I think everyone is aware of the new 
regulations pertaining to warning labels Š if not look at the last FFF or contact me.  I just want to 
stress 2 things: sanitation and quality.  Remember that sanitation starts in the orchard Š itÕs a lot 
easier to keep the fruit clean rather than trying to clean up dirty fruit.  The quality of the cider is 
dependent on the fruit going into it, so donÕt think of cider as a dumping ground for unsound 
fruit.  Obviously much of the fruit going into cider has cosmetic blemishes, may lack a bit of color 
or may be on the small side, but cider is no place for rotten or wormy apples. We all need to work 
hard to insure that we have a problem-free year, and restore the reputation of cider as a healthy, 
nutrition product.


Bruce Bordelon, 1165 Dept. of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette,
IN 47907-1165, 765/494-1301, e-mail: bordelon@hort.purdue.edu

Peter Hirst, 1165 Dept. of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
47907-1165, 765/494-1323, e-mail: hirst@hort.purdue.edu

Paul Pecknold, 1155 Dept. of Botany & Plant Path., Purdue University, West
Lafayette, IN 47907-1155, 765/494-4628, e-mail: Pecknold@btny.purdue.edu

Rick Foster, 1158 Dept. of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
47907-1158, 765/494-9572, e-mail: Rick_Foster@entm.purdue.edu


Disclaimer:  Reference to products in this publication is not an endorsement to the exclusion of 
others which may be similar.  Any person using products listed in this newsletter assumes full 
responsibility for their use in accordance with current label directions of the manufacturer.