Do We Spray?
Yes we do, but in an ecologically sustainable manner through a system of Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
Good News! Over the years, by following the IPM, we have reduced the amount of spray material applied to our apples by 50% to 60%. The last spray is usually applied by the end of July.
IPM is an approach to managing agricultural pests in a way that is environmentally responsible while remaining economically viable, through the integration of cultural, biological and chemical controls.
In the past, we sprayed our crops on a calendar basis, covering the orchard every 7-10 days. Several years ago, we adopted the IPM approach, where we monitor for fungal diseases on our weather station and monitor the insect population with pheromone traps, spraying only where and when we feel the population has surpassed a given economic threshold.
We then try to select the chemical or cultural practice least harmful to the environment or to the population of beneficial insects, i.e. it will kill the target pest, but not the insects that prey on those pests. As the population of beneficials grows, the need for chemicals is reduced. By monitoring our weather station for temperature and leaf wetness, we can control apple scab through well-timed fungicide applications early in the season. Any later applications are eliminated.
The goal of IPM is to reduce a pest population to a level where it is not causing unacceptable aesthetic or economic damage. This is a more realistic and achievable goal then attempting to totally eliminate the pest. IPM relies on a combination of controls, including mechanical, biological and least-toxic chemicals. We think it’s the most ecologically-sound strategy for coping with pests in the long run. There are fewer toxic effects on the environment and over time, it cost less than methods that rely on highly-toxic chemical pesticides.
The Integrated Pest Management program has recently been endorsed by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).