Spring Meeting Resources
Resources from the 2020 spring meetings in pdf, recorded webinar, and video format will be linked here as they become available.
For Upcoming Meeting in this series please check https://lof.cce.cornell.edu/event.php?id=1429
Pruning Honeycrisp for Annual Production Video - Precision pruning is a strategy to reduce the flower bud number per tree to a pre-defined flower bud number through pruning. This video explains how to manage Honeycrisp flower bud load with an optimum of 1.8 flower buds (left after pruning) relative to final fruit number. Honeycrisp growers should use flower bud counts before and after pruning to precisely leave an optimum number of flower buds to guarantee annual production (and reduce biennial bearing) every year. The video also shows how to dissect and identify a Honeycrisp floral bud from a vegetative bud. This video focuses on Honeycrisp, however it contains basic pruning techniques that can be applied to all tall spindle orchards.
Spring Pink Meeting Videos held on May 11: Recording on YouTube is separated into 6 individual videos based on the topics below. See related slides in pdf file below.
Topics/Speakers:
- Counting flower buds/readjusting bud load via pruning at pink, and blossom thinning considerations - T. Robinson and M. Miranda Sazo (live from a Honeycrisp orchard at VanDeWalle Fruit Farm in Wayne County)
- Foliar sprays/ground applications/protocol for Peel SAP analysis of Honeycrisp - L. Cheng and M. Miranda Sazo
- Early 2020 Season Disease Update - K. Cox
- Spring insect management priorities - A. Agnello
- Factors to consider to optimize pollination this spring - J. van Zoeren
- Questions and answers
Spring Bloom Meeting Video held on May 21: Recording on YouTube. See related slides in pdf file below.
- Dr. Terence Robinson will be providing recommendations for bloom thinning in biennial varieties (plus Gala), with up-to-date information based on assessments of freeze damage across the region.
- This meeting is being sponsored by Andrew Dulude at OESCO INC. PO Box 540, 8 Ashfield Road (Rte 116), Conway, Ma. 01341 (413)369-4335 (w), (800)634-5557 (Toll free), adulude@oescoinc.com
Spring Petal Fall Thinning Recommendations Meeting Part 1 held on May 27. See related slides in pdf file below.
- Presentation/Recommendations from Dr. Terence Robinson, Cornell University
- Additional Info from Mario Miranda Sazo, CCE-LOF
- Q & A
- This meeting is sponsored by VALENT USA & VALENT BIOSCIENCES
Spring Petal Fall Thinning Recommendations Meeting Part 2 Videos held on May 29. See related slides in pdf files below.
Welcome - Craig Kahlke, Team Leader, Fruit Quality Management, CCE-LOF
Pest Management/Pollination Updates - Intros by Janet van Zoeren, IPM Specialist, CCE-LOF
- Insect Update by Art Agnello, Cornell AgriTech
- Diseases Updates by Awais Khan and Kerik Cox, Cornell AgriTech
- IPM Update by Julie Carroll, Cornell Agritech
- Pollination Update by Maria van Dyke, Cornell University
Labor/Crop/Business Management "COVID-19" Updates - Intros by Mark Wiltberger, CCE-LOF
- Additional Pest Management Q&A
- Labor Update - Paul Baker, Executive Director, New York State Horticultural Society and Mark Wiltberger, CCE-LOF
- COVID-19 Updates- Important Info for your Farm with the Re-opening (NY Forward) and Beyond by Mark Wiltberger, CCE-LOF
- US Crop Update - Matt Wells, US Apple Sales
- Additional Labor/COVID-19/Crop Update
Thinning Recommendations & Conclusion
- Additional Thinning Questions as a Follow up to May 27 Webinar and Recommendations in Fruit Facts- Mario Miranda Sazo
- This meeting is sponsored by VALENT USA & VALENT BIOSCIENCES
Spring 10-13mm Thinning Spray Recommendation Meeting held on June 5: A recording of the webinar is avialable on YouTube. A pdf of the ppt slides from webinar are available below.
- Thinning Recommendations by Terence Robinson
- Questions & Answers by Terence Robinson & Mario Miranda Sazo
PDFs linked that contain slides from presentations provided in Spring Meeting Series Webinars below:
- Table containing minimum temperatures registered for days in April & May as of May 10, 2020. Hours below the minimum critical temperatures before apples experience cold damage. See pdf below.
- Slides presented by speakers during the Spring Pink Meeting webinar.
- Bloom Pesticides for Pollinator Health
- Slides presented by speakers during the Spring Bloom Meeting webinar.
- Slides presented by speakers during the Spring Petal Fall Thinning Recommendations Meeting Part 1
Minimum Temperatures registered as of 10 May 2020 (pdf; 151KB)
- Minimum temperatures registered on April 16-17 & May 5,9,&10
Spring Pink Meeting Powerpoint Slides (pdf; 6958KB)
Spring Bloom Meeting Slides (pdf; 1621KB)
Bloom Pesticides for Pollinator Health (pdf; 588KB)
Spring Petal Fall Thinning Recommendations Meeting Part 1 (pdf; 2503KB)
Spring Petal Fall Thinning Meeting Part 2 - Pollination Update (pdf; 1232KB)
- by Maria van Dyke
Spring Petal Fall Thinning Meeting Part 2 - Petal Fall Disease Update (pdf; 1645KB)
- by Kerik Cox
Spring Petal Fall Thinning Meeting Part 2 - Insect Update (pdf; 6092KB)
- by Art Agnello
Spring Petal Fall Thinning Meeting Part 2 - Apple Disease Research Update (pdf; 1007KB)
- by Awais Kahn
Spring Petal Fall Thinning Meeting Part 2 - IPM Update (pdf; 679KB)
- by Juliet Carroll
Spring 10-13mm Thinning Spray Recommends (pdf; 2166KB)
Apples
Apricots
Asian Pears
Blueberries
Cherries
Currants
Gooseberries
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Raspberries / Blackberries
Strawberries
Unusual Fruit
Upcoming Events
Advisory Committee Meeting - Program Updates
February 26, 2026
Spencerport, NY
Join the Lake Ontario Fruit Team for programming updates and goals. This meeting is your chance to shape the research priorities of our specialists and team. Your insights are vital to delivering the most valuable resources and support to the WNY apple industry.
2026 Eastern New York Fruit and Vegetable Conference
February 25 - February 26, 2026
Albany , NY
The Annual Eastern NY Fruit and Vegetable Conference is two days filled with informative sessions on Tree Fruit, Vegetables, Small Fruit, Grapes, Greenhouse and a special Food Safety Wash and Pack session! While there you can also visit with more than 50 exhibitors!
2026 Virtual Orchard Meetup Series
February 27, 2026 : Session 1 - The Impacts of Weather on Pome Fruit Quality and Storability: Lessons Learned
The Impacts of Weather on Pome Fruit Quality and Storability: Lessons from 2025 - The first meetup will be conducted live on Friday, February 27, 2026, at 10:30pm (PST)/1:30pm (EST). The webinar will last 90 minutes. The format will include brief presentations by two SPARC scientists, followed by a packer/grower panel of industry leaders across North America. The meetup will conclude with an open discussion in a very inclusive virtual format. Viewers are invited to share solutions, ask questions, and interact with scientists and panelists. The program is free of charge.
June 11, 2026 : Session 2
Details to follow.
June 18, 2026
Details to follow.
June 25, 2026 : Session 4
Details to follow.