Cornell scientists know a good thing when they see it. They discovered Messenger, a new biochemical that works better than streptomycin for fire blight. In some areas of the country, fire blight is becoming resistant to streptomycin. Messenger's active ingredient is harpin, a non-toxic protein produced by Erwinia, a plant disease. The sprayed plants become naturally resistant to diseases and insects. It also enhances plant growth. In New York, Messenger can be used for fire blight on apples. Check with your local extension service to see whether Messenger can be used legally in your state.
The exciting news about raspberries is that they can be grown in cool greenhouses over the winter. The bushes are moved into the greenhouse in mid-December move them into the greenhouse. Each plant yields about ten half-pints of very high quality fruits. This is at a time when they sell for $4-$6 per half-pint. Marvin Pritts uses bumblebees for pollination and beneficials to control mite problems. For more, see Pritts' page on greenhouse raspberries.
At the field day, Pritts also had great news on bird control. Of all the methods Pritts tested on blueberries, a sugar syrup spray worked best. It's also non-toxic and cheap. The birds can't digest ordinary table sugar. It makes them sick, so they avoid sprayed fruits. Pritts also reported that hanging silhouettes of predator birds like owls and hawks in the fruit plot helps.
Everyone is interested in new fruit varieties. Honey Crisp is a new apple variety, but it is a little harder to grow. The fruits can develop bitter pit. The problem is worse on young trees and those with larger fruits. Maintain a proper soil pH. Apply adequate calcium nitrate and boron. The calcium can be applied as a spray. Keep the tree watered properly. Summer pruning is recommended. When necessary, thin the fruits. Pick them as they ripen. They ripen unevenly, so you'll have to harvest several times. All of this should help you harvest high quality Honey Crisp apples.
Cornell is one of the test sites for grafted pawpaws in the Regional Variety Tests. Frankly, the grafted ones were disappointing. Cornell's seedling pawpaws did much better. Results may vary from one region of the country to another, so check with your local extension service for their recommendations.
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