Annual Cherry Tree Care Needs To Be Consistent

| June 11, 2015 1:55 PM

By: Chris Beason

Lake-Flathead County Cherry Pest Field Inspector

Here we are again with June approaching and another year behind us. June means the start of the cherry season. With the chores of pruning, planting new trees, and other various early season tasks done, the focus will soon shift to a consistent pest management plan of action. As for any cherry grower, this should include a weekly spray program and monitoring that controls the Western Cherry Fruit Fly as well as a relatively new pest, the Spotted Wing Drosophila (Suzuki).

May this serve as a friendly reminder to do your part as a responsible neighbor and cherry tree/orchard owner. Pest management of cherry fruit flies is an ongoing activity that begins in mid-June and should continue post-harvest through the end of August. Cherry fruit flies are still active and found into the month of September. Whether you have one or one hundred cherry trees, cherry fruit fly control spraying should occur every 6-10 days depending on the spray used.

The choice of how you will control the cherry fruit flies on your property is entirely up to you. There are effective products to do this which are both conventional and organic. For more information please contact the following sources: Flathead and Lake County Extension Services, Commercial Pest Applicators, Tom Lawrence and Chris Beason.

If we all pitch in and do our responsible best, Flathead Cherries will continue to be the high quality, desirable fruit that people expect. So please, help us keep the standards of excellent production and quality up high. No pun intended, but “one bad cherry, spoils the whole bunch.”

Thanks for your help! I hope that everyone has an outstanding summer and 2013 cherry season. Please don’t hesitate to call with questions regarding cherry pest management.

Chris Beason, 214-5425

Tom Lawrence, 250-8213

Flathead County Extension Agent, Pat McGlynn, 758-5553

Lake County Extension Agent, Jack Stivers, 676-4271