Dr. Tree Fruit and Don

Shan walks through early peach varieties nearing harvest and two distinct fruit size classes that may ripen a week or two apart. Kari digs into summer rot season. Host: Don Seifrit Speakers: Kari Peter, Shan Kumar Photo Credit: J. Harper, PSU Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Courtesy of FreeMusicArchive.org Make sure...

We sit down with our Penn State tree fruit team to lay out the decision points hitting orchards right now: codling moth, bitter pit, and tree management. Host: Don Seifrit Speakers: Kari Peter, Shan Kumar, Greg Krawczyk Photo Credit: Kari Peter, PSU Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Courtesy of FreeMusicArchive.org Ma...

Kari and Shan highlight the important things to consider over the next few days as the crop load for this year stabilizes. We discuss potential thinning decisions as well as disease management.  Host: Don Seifrit Speakers: Kari Peter, Shan Kumar Photo Credit: Lindsay Brown, PSU Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Courte...

From spray coverage and rain timing to making block by block calls, Kari, Greg, and Shan focus what to do this year to protect what's left and what to do to prepare for next year. Host: Don Seifrit Speakers: Kari Peter, Shan Kumar, Greg Krawczyk Photo Credit: Shan Kumar, PSU Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Cour...

A late April freeze might seem like a single bad night, but what we’re seeing across Pennsylvania orchards is a season-long management puzzle. Kari, Shan, and Greg outline what's important in a challenging year. Host: Don Seifrit Speakers: Kari Peter, Shan Kumar, Greg Krawczyk Photo Credit: Lindsay Brown, PSU Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribut...

Don, Kari, Greg, and Shan walk through the overnight freeze and the chain reaction it triggers across fruit set, disease risk, and insect timing in our  orchards. We share what to scout first, what to spray only when it makes sense, and how to protect pollinators while the weather keeps changing. Host: Don Seifrit Speakers: Kari Peter, Shan Kumar, Greg Krawczyk Photo Credit: Sara Serra, PSU Music...

Don is joined by Kari, Shan, and Greg during this scorching hot April week to discuss fire blight infection periods, bloom thinning, and insect flights. Host: Don Seifrit Speakers: Kari Peter, Shan Kumar, Greg Krawczyk Photo Credit: Kari Peter, PSU Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Courtesy of FreeMusicArchive.org Mak...

Don is joined by Kari and Shan this week to discuss what happens what a spring freeze doesn’t just “nip” buds. Shan highlights what to do after the frost: how to sample across a block, cut buds to spot real freeze damage in the reproductive tissue. Kari gives an early fire blight heads-up as warm weather accelerates bloom, plus a smart “minimal spray program” mindset for blocks that lost fruit to...

This bonus episode is to highlight another fruit podcast focused on horticulture/phenology/physiology topics from Extension professionals and researchers around the country. It's hosted by Don and includes personnel from Cornell, Michigan State, University of Maine, and Washington State. Go follow them on their feed! For more information, visit https://sparcscri.com/ This work is/was supporte...

Don, Kari, Shan, and Greg highlight the very first stages of spring as green tip begins to emerge around the state in apples. Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Courtesy of FreeMusicArchive.org Make sure you sign up to get notified of future Extension events for tree fruit growers! Sign Up Flight Seasonalities of Main...

Don, Kari, Greg, and Shan dig into stone fruit losses and disease timing as a warm spell pushes early peaches toward bud swell. We outline what early scouting actually tells you and how to get ready for oriental fruit moth and codling moth. If this helped sharpen your spring plan, follow the show, share it with a grower who needs timely cues, and leave a quick review so more orchards can find us....

We welcome our new pomologist, Dr. Sara Serra, and dig into how pruning, harvest timing, and vision tech can raise fruit quality across apples, pears and peaches.  The Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention begins Jan 27. Registration available on site. Winter Fruit Schools run Feb 10–19 across regions. Photo Credit: Dr. Rob Crassweller, Penn State Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Jo...

Don, Kari, Shan, and Greg unpack the season’s rollercoaster: a soggy May that drove scab, rust, and bitter rot risk, followed by a dry, color‑rich harvest window. We lay out infection windows, what worked for Honeycrisp, why alternate row coverage backfired, and how to prep smarter for next season. Photo Credit: Lindsay Brown, Penn State Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is l...

Kari, Greg, Shan and Don share a fast, practical harvest update focusing on EverCrisp and Fuji maturing ahead of color and what that means for storage. We also cover late pest pressure, storage rot prevention, and label uncertainty. Photo Credit: Lindsay Brown, Penn State Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Courtesy of...

Don, Kari, Shan and Greg highlight disease and insect pressure to watch out for during a critical period to harvest some important Pennsylvania varieties. Keep an eye out for Shan and the crew's harvest maturity assessments weekly on Tuesdays. Photo Credit: Lindsay Brown, Penn State Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States Licen...

Don, Kari, Shan and Greg talk about important reminders for the upcoming harvest, including spray coverage throughout the end of the season. Photo Credit: Lindsay Brown, Penn State Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Courtesy of FreeMusicArchive.org Make sure you sign up to get notified of future Extension events for tr...

Kari, Don, Shan and Greg go over the important things to note for the end of July. This includes insect pressure, the last bit of disease sprays before harvest, and testing for plant nutrition. Photo Credit: K. Peter, PSU Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Courtesy of FreeMusicArchive.org Make sure you sign up to get n...

Kari, Don, Greg and Shan go over what's critical in this heat regarding pesticides, coverage, and tree nutrition. Photo Credit: K. Peter, PSU Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Courtesy of FreeMusicArchive.org Make sure you sign up to get notified of future Extension events for tree fruit growers! Sign Up Flight S...

Kari, Don, Greg and Shan discuss what to do in the current heat wave just before the FREC Field Day. Keep an eye out for fungicide resistance! Fungicide Resistance Tables:  https://extension.psu.edu/spraying-by-the-numbers-fungicide-resistance-management-tables-for-tree-fruit-diseases Photo Credit: K. Peter, PSU Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attributio...

Don, Kari and Greg discuss what to keep an eye out for with a hot June on the horizon. PSU FREC Field Day:  https://extension.psu.edu/penn-state-fruit-research-and-extension-center-field-day Photo Credit: K. Peter, PSU Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Courtesy of FreeMusicArchive.org Make sure you sign up to get noti...

Kari, Don, Greg, and Shan discuss the end of the Spring season and what to do when the weather doesn't seem to want to cooperate. Topics include the end of the thinning window, fungicide coverage, and insect life cycles. FREC Field Day: https://extension.psu.edu/penn-state-fruit-research-and-extension-center-field-day Photo Credit: K. Peter, PSU Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh...

Kari, Don, Shan and Greg meet up to discuss the large (and timely) volume of work headed down the pipe. FREC Field Day: https://extension.psu.edu/penn-state-fruit-research-and-extension-center-field-day Photo Credit: K. Peter, PSU Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Courtesy of FreeMusicArchive.org Make sure you sign up...

Kari, Don, Greg and Shan discuss the MANY items coming down the pipeline within the next few days. FREC Field Day: https://extension.psu.edu/penn-state-fruit-research-and-extension-center-field-day Photo Credit: K. Peter, PSU Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Courtesy of FreeMusicArchive.org Make sure you sign up to g...

Kari, Greg, Shan and Don discuss the wild weather that we've experienced early this season and the importance of disease, insect and blossom management. Photo Credit: E. Winzler Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Courtesy of FreeMusicArchive.org Make sure you sign up to get notified of future Extension events for...

Kari and Don and joined yet again by Shan and Greg to provide the full spectrum of updates for the early season. PS Extension Spring Orchard Meetings: https://extension.psu.edu/spring-orchard-meetings Hosts: Don Seifrit, Kari Peter Speakers: Shan Kumar, Greg Krawczyk Photo Credit: K. Peter, PSU Extension Music Credit: “The Raven and the Swan” by Josh Woodward is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 Un...