Information for Commercial Apple Growers in Ontario
| News
& Alerts | Crop Management | Pest
Management | Food Safety |
| Harvest & Postharvest | Business
& Innovation | Weather & Climate
|
| Environmental Stewardship | Specialists
& Services | Statistics |
| Tools & Additional Resources |
Apple Production
- Soil Management, Fertilizer Use, Crop Nutrition and Cover Crops for Fruit Production
- Thinning of Tree Fruit
- Plant Growth Regulators for Fruit Crops
Managing High Density Apple Orchards
News & Alerts
Text
- What's Current in Hort Crops
- Orchard Network newsletter
- Hort Matters newsletter
- ON Organic newsletter
- Crop Conferences & Meetings
- Ontario Agriculture Events Calendar (OntAg - Farms.com)
- Market Information - Infohort (Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada)
- Strategies to Mitigate Weather Risks
Use web apps to stay informed
- Agricultural List Servs & Mailgroups
- Podcasts (sign up for Sound Advice by OMAFRA specialists)
- Twitter (follow @ontarioapples, @OntApple Lady, etc)
Crop Management
| General | Cultivars | Rootstocks | Pruning and Training | Plant Growth Regulators | Pollination | Soil, Fertility & Crop Nutrition | Irrigation | Organic |
General
- Planting New Apple Orchards in Ontario (an online module)
- Crop Tracker (online record keeping & orchard management systems)
- Partial List of Fruit Tree Nurseries In Ontario
- Orchard Renovation - Rebuild and Rejuvinate With Cover Crops!
- Cover Crop Seed Suppliers
- Cover Crops
- Tips for Successful Planting
- Care for New Plantings
- Establishing Drip Irrigation in High Density Orchards
- Fruit Crop Protection Guide (Publication 360)
- Fruit Trees in the Home Garden
- What You Should Know About Fruit Production In Ontario (Order No.04-045)
- Vertical Axis Support System
Cultivars
- Recommended Apple Varieties for Ontario
- New Apple Cultivar Development - News from the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, Summerland
- Ambrosia
- Commercial Production of Ambrosia™ Apples in Ontario (Order No. 09-041)
- Pinching Technique Could Help Ambrosia Establish (June 2007)
-
Aurora Golden Gala
-
'Aurora Golden Gala™' Management Options (December 2006)
- CameoTM
- Chinook
- Creston
- Producing Quality Empire Apples (Order No. 00-013)
- Enterprise
- Gala
- Gala Leaf Surface Area Requirements per Apple (June 2007)
- Ginger GoldTM
- Gold Rush
- Golden Delicious
- Necrotic Leaf Blotch of Golden Delicious and Related Cultivars (November 2004)
- HoneycrispTM
- Commercial Production of Honeycrisp™ Apples in Ontario (Order No. 05-047)
- Silken
- Sunrise Apple
- Disease Resistant Apple Cultivars (Order No. 98-013)
Rootstocks:
- Rootstock Choices for Ontario Apple Growers
- Performance and Availability of the Vineland (V.) Series Apple Rootstocks
- Apple Rootstocks (Order No. 00-007)
Pruning and Training:
- Tall Spindle Training:
- The Equilifruit Disk: A Tool for Assessing Optimum Cropload (December 2012)
- Growing Super Spindle Orchards in Ontario (December 2012)
- Thoughts on Pruning
- Publication 814, Training and Pruning Apple Trees (Order No. 814)
- Pruning Fruit Trees (Order No. 00-005)
- Orchard Grafting Methods (Order No. 98-005)
- Repair Grafting (Order No. 98-003)
- Summer Pruning of Apples - Is It Worth the Time?
- Using Reflective Mulch for Light Management in Orchards
Plant Growth Regulators:
- Plant Growth Regulators
- Apogee® - A New Plant Bioregulator For Apples (Order No. 06-045)
- Assessing Fruit Set - Use a Knife!
- Chemical thinning of apples in response to frost damage to flowers
- Thinning of Tree Fruit
Pollination:
- Pollination Requirements for Fruit Crops
- Crabapple Pollenizers for Apples (Order No. 00-011)
- Pollination Pointers
- Guide to Fruit
Production, Publication 360 - Chapter 11: Information on Pesticides
- Bee Poisoning
- Ontario Beekeepers for Pollination Services
- Apiculture in Ontario
- Beekeeping and Honey Production Business Information Bundle
Soil, Fertility & Crop Nutrition
- Soil Management, Fertilizer Use, Crop Nutrition and Cover Crops for Fruit Production (excert from Publication 360)
- Ontario
AppleIPM: Apple Crop Nutrition
- Deficiencies and toxicities of macro and micronutrients
- Ontario
Apple IPM: Soil Diagnostics
- Compaction, Drainage, Erosion, pH, Nutrition, Soil ruts, Soil structure, Soil texture, Leaf analyis, Soil testing
- Nutrient Management
- Soil Fertility & Crop Nutrition
- Soil Management
- Soil Water Management
- Soil Management on Organic Farms
Recommended soil, fertility & crop nutrition resources:
- Bitter Pit Control in Apples (Order No. 00-009)
- Choosing the Right Cover Crop
- Cover Crop Seed Suppliers
- Cover Crops
- Monitoring Soil Moisture
- Aluminum soil test foils growers
- Soil Beneficials
- Soil + Weather + Fertilizer = Leaf Analysis
- Soil Management for Orchards and Vineyards (Order No. 92-120)
- Soil Fertility Handbook (Pub. 611)
- Soil Management - Best Management Practices Series
- Soil Management & Fertilizer Use: Soil Compaction
- Soil Moisture Monitoring Tools: A Comparison
- Soil Properties affect Banded Phosphorus
- Spent Mushroom Substrate
- Spray it or Spread it: Nitrogen in Apple Orchards
- What do Zebra Mussels have to do with Phosphorus?
Irrigation
Water supply, timing, amount, fertigation, permits. Filter out the information you need with the resources below:
Recommended irrigation resources:
- Establishing Drip Irrigation in High Density Orchard
- Monitoring Soil Moisture
- Energy Conservation in Irrigation
- Irrigation Scheduling For Fruit Crops (Order No. 90-029)
- Irrigation - Why, When, and How Much?
- Reservoirs - Construction Tips
- How to Prepare for Irrigation During Water Shortages
- Improving On-Farm Food Safety Through Good Irrigation Practices
- Irrigation Management - Best Management Practices Publication
- Permit to Take Water Consulting Services
- Permit To Take Water Workshops
- Evaluating the Effectiveness of GF-120 against Apple Maggot in Apple Orchards (February 2009)
- Managing Insects and Diseases in Organic Crops (December 2006)
- Organic?
Transition? (April 2006)
- Introduction To Organic Farming (Order No. 09-077)
- Organic Food and Farming Certification
- ONorganic Blog
- Starting an Organic Farm (Order No. 09-073)
- Recent articles in Orchard Network: Pest Management
- Ontario AppleIPM
- Crop Tracker (online record keeping & orchard management systems)
- Defining degrees of control on pesticide labels (2009)
- Crop & Pest News & Alerts
- Integrated Pest Management - Best Management Practices
- Ontario's Cosmetic Pesticide Ban
- Ontario Minor Use Program (progress on pesticide registration for minor use crops)
- Organic Pest Management
- Pest Management for Organic Fruit Growers
- PMRA Pesticide Label Search
- Integrated Pest Management for Apples (Pub. 310)
- Apple IPM Scouting Guide
- Monitoring and Threshold Guide
- Fruit Crop Protection Guide (Publication 360)
- Guidelines for using Insect Pheromone and Visual Traps in Orchards
- Pest Monitoring: Proper use of Pheromone Traps
- Check Pheromone Traps - Twice Weekly!
- Apple Pest and Beneficial Activity In Ontario (Scouting Calendar)
- Diseases and Disorders of Apples in Ontario
- Disease Factsheets & Infosheets Index page
- Notes on Apple Diseases and Insects
- Apple Replant Disease
- Apple Scab
- Bitter Pit
- Black Rot
- Blister Spot
- Canker Diseases and Root Rots
- Calyx and Dry End Rot
- Cedar-Apple Rust and Quince Rust
- Fire Blight
- Glomerella leaf blotch/Bitter rot
- Lenticel Breakdown
- Moldy Core
- Necrotic Leaf Blotch
- Powdery Mildew
- Silver Leaf
- Summer Diseases
- Watercore
- For more information - Ontario Apple IPM
- Fruit Crop Protection Guide (Publication 360)
- Sampling Soil and Roots for Plant Parasitic Nematodes (Order No. 06-099)
- AppleIPM: Nematodes
- Aphids
- Apple Leafcurling Midge
- Apple Maggot
- Borers
- Codling Moth
- Dock Sawfly
- European Apple Sawfly
- European Snout Weevil
- Japanese Beetle
- Leafhoppers
- Mites
- Mullein Bug
- Obliquebanded Leafroller
- Oriental
Fruit Moth
- Mating Disruption for Management of Oriental Fruit Moth in Stone and Pome Fruit (Order No.04-029)
- Mating Disruption for Management of Insect Pests (Order No. 03-079)
- Mating disruption for codling moth and oriental fruit moth (Isomate-CM/OFM TT)
- Mating disruption for oriental fruit moth (Isomate-OFM TT)
- Oriental Fruit Moth Flagging - Old or New?
- Pale Green Weevil
- Plum Curculio
- Scales
- Spotted Tentiform Leafminer
- Spring-Feeding Caterpillars
- Stink Bug
- Tarnished Plant Bug
- White Marked Tussock Moth
- Insect Factsheets & Infosheets
- Notes on Apple Diseases and Insects
- Wildly Fluctuating Temperatures Affect Insect Flight Pattern
- AppleIPM: Beneficials
- Beneficial Insects in Tree Fruit Orchards in Southern Ontario (Order No. 96-029)
- Publication 208, Predatory Insects in Fruit Orchards (Order No. 208)
- Distinguishing Friends From Enemies: 4 Fabulous Insects You Want Visiting Your Orchards
- Ontario Apple IPM: Weeds
- Publication 75B, Guide to Weed Control - Horticulture Crops
- Ontario Weeds Publication (Pub. 505)
- Ontario Weeds - Weed Gallery
- ontarioweeds.com (knowledge base of weed information)
- Weeds in Ontario - Index Page
- Weed Management in Apples
- Weed Management in Young Trees
- Herbicides
- You suspect herbicide drift - Now what? (June 2012)
- Herbicide Injury - What Should I Do Now? (June 2008)
- Herbicide Mode of Action Categories (Order No. 00-061)
- Removing Orchards? Be Aware of Herbicide Residues
- New Herbicide Alion™ Will be Available for 2012 Season
- Glyphosate and the health of your trees
- Update on Herbicide Resistant Canada Fleabane
- Plan to Apply 2,4-D after Harvest in Orchards
- Newsletter Articles for Weed Management in Apples
- Helping Graminicides Work
- New Year's Resolutions for Managing Weeds
- Selecting a Weed Management Strategy for Tree Fruit and Grapes
- Weed Factsheets & Infosheets
- Publication 360:
Guide to Fruit Production - Chapter 8: Other Pests and Disorders
- Bird Management
- Deer Management
- Rabbit Management
- Mouse and Vole Management
- Bird Control in Horticultural Crops (Order No. 17-029)
- Using Propane-Fired Cannons to Keep Birds Away From Vineyards (Order No. 10-053)
- Bird Control Options (and non-options)
- Managing Problem Deer Populations
- Of mice and men: Managing mice in apple orchards
- Pesticide Application and Safety
- Farm Pesticide Storage Facility (Order No. 11-005)
- Homemade Pesticides
- Pesticide Safety Training (OPEP)
- Pesticide Storage, Handling and Application - Best Management Practices (Order No. BMP13)
- Pesticide Contamination of Farm Water Sources (Order No. 15-001)
- Ways to Avoid Pesticide Spills (Order No. 96-025)
- Adjusting, Maintaining and Cleaning Airblast Sprayers (Order No. 10-069)
- Airblast sprayer startup tips (May 2011)
- Sprayer Calibration Calculator
- The Hidden Cost of Damaged Nozzles (May 2009)
- Slow Down To Improve Airblast Spray Penetration (December 2011)
- Research Update - Crop Adapted Spraying (May 2010)
- Fungicide Spray Coverage (February 2010)
- Patternator to Be Used for Workshops (June 2007)
- What Did We Learn? A Wrap-Up of the Orchard Sprayer Workshops
- Pesticide Application (Publication 360)
- Six Elements of Effective Spraying in Orchards and Vineyards (Order No. 09-039)
- How Weather Conditions Affect Spray Applications (Order No. 09-037w)
- New Information on Pesticide Drift and Reducing Buffer Zones (February 2011)
- Equipment to Reduce Spray Drift in Orchards (December 2010)
- We Catch Your Drift
- Harvesting and Handling Apples (Order No. 00-003)
- How to Estimate Bin Requirements: Make Harvesting More Efficient By Having the Right Number of Bins Ready
- Evaluating Maturity of Empire, Idared and Spartan Apples (Order No. 00-027)
- Evaluating Maturity of McIntosh and Red Delicious Apples (Order No. 00-025)
- Multiple Smartfresh Treatments on 'McIntosh' and 'Empire' Apples (December 2011)
- Postharvest Treatment Affects Physical and Sensory Quality of 'Honeycrisp' Apples (August 2011)
- Soft Scald in Relation to Preharvest Precipitation and Soluble Solids Content in "Honeycrisp" (December 2009)
- Postharvest Treatment of Whole Apples in Relation to Fresh-Cut Slice Quality (May 2009)
- Storage Disorders in 'Honeycrisp' Apples (February 2009)
- A Summary of The Fundamentals of Cleaning and Sanitizing (May 2010)
- Watercore
- Lenticel Breakdown
- Blue Mold
- Gray Mol
- Patulin - A Chemical Concern For Apple Producers & Processors (Order No. 04-043)
- Recent articles in Orchard Network: Postharvest
- Application of DPA Using Aerosol or Eco Fog Technology in Commercial Storages (August 2011)
- Maintaining the Quality of "Northern Spy" Apples during Long-Term Storage (February 2011)
- Maturity and Storage of "Ambrosia" Apples (August 2009)
- Forced-Air Cooling Systems for Fresh Ontario Fruits and Vegetables (Order No. 14-039)
- Troubleshooting Cold Storage Problems (Order No. 17-003)
- Traceability
- Grower's Worst Nightmare - fire in a cold storage
- Harvest Canada - Pick Your Own Fruit & Vegetables
- Canada GAP
- Improving On-Farm Food Safety Through Good Irrigation Practices (Order No. 10-037)
- Food Safety Practices in the Production of Unpasteurized Apple Cider
- Advantage Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) Posters (December 2012)
- Maintaining Farm Buildings to Prevent Pest Entry (December 2011)
- Checklist for worker policies training (August 2011)
- Harvest and worker hygiene (August 2011)
- Food Safety Tips (August 2010)
- Guide to Fruit Production, Publication 360
- Harvest Decision Calculator
- Cost of Production and Budgets
- Financial Management (includes agreements & forms)
- Human Resources
- Business Structure
- Business Strategy
- Analyzing and Managing Your Cash Flow (Order No. 18-015)
- Business Information Bundle for Food and Beverage Processors
- Marketing and Value Added Ventures
- Minimally Processed Fruit and Vegetables Good Manufacturing Practices Guidebook
- Agricultural Business Management Information
- Business Planning for Nutrient Management
- Diagnosing and Managing Cash Flow Problems (Order No. 06-085)
- Energy (conservation, renewable energy, bioenergy, emergency power)
- Establishment and Production Costs for Tender Fruit in Ontario - 2010 Economic Report
- Guide to Tracking Program Payments to Ontario Farmers
- Guide To Custom Farmwork and Short-Term Equipment Rental (Order No. 07-019)
- Improving or Expanding Your Food Business
- Money for on-farm Environmental Improvements
- Nutrient Management
- Preparing Business Plans (Order No. 08-051)
- Premier's Award for Agri-Food Excellence
- Programs and Services for Ontario Farmers
- Start, Manage and Grow A Business: Food Processing
- What You Should Know About Fruit Production In Ontario, (Order No. 04-045)
- Your Guide to Food Processing in Ontario
- Adverse Weather Information
- Cold Hardiness and Fruit Trees
- Early season frost damage in apples
- Pest management guidelines for hailed and frosted orchards
- Effects of Air Pollution on Agricultural Crops (Order No. 01-015)
- Freeze Protection Methods for Crops (Order No. 85-116)
- How to Prepare for Irrigation During Water Shortages (Order No. 99-023)
- Irrigation Management - Best Management Practices Series
- Ontario Climate Information
- Water Management - Best Management Practices (Order No. BMP07)
- Weather Information on the Internet
- Energy Conservation & Generation
- Environment
- Soil Fertility & Crop Nutrition
- Soil Management
- Soil Water Management
- Water
- Agriculture Development Branch Staff
- Accredited Soil Testing Laboratories in Ontario
- Crop Publications
- Leaf & Petiole Tissue Analysis Program
- Ontario Minor Use Program (progress on pesticide registration for minor use crops)
- Pest Diagnostic Clinic
- Pesticide Information
- Sources of Crop
Inputs
- Beneficial Insects and Mites Suppliers
- Bird Netting Suppliers (Partial List)
- Containers
- Cover Crop Seed Suppliers
- Fruit Tree Nurseries in Ontario
- Irrigation Equipment Suppliers (Partial List)
- Ontario Beekeepers for Pollination Services
- Ontario Wind Machine Distributors
- Permit to Take Water Consulting Services
- Pesticide Manufacturers and Agents
- Plasticulture Suppliers
- Safety Supply Companies in Ontario Providing Protective Clothing & Equipment
- Soil Fumigators (Partial List)
- Soil Diagnostic Tools
- Spot Treatment Equipment
- Ontario Horticultural Crops Statistics
- The Ontario Apple Industry at a Glance
- Crop Profile for Apple in Canada – 2013 – Synopsis
- Canadian Fruit Situation and Trends (including apples, tree fruits & berries)
- Overview Of Canadian Horticultural Industry
- Ontario Apple Growers (listed under the Grower tab)
- Fruit Crop Protection Guide (Publication 360)
- Publication 75B, Guide to Weed Control - Horticulture Crops
- Publication 310, Integrated Pest Management for Apples
- Publication 814, Training and Pruning Apple Trees
- Publication 208, Predatory Insects in Fruit Orchards
- OMAFRA Crop Publications & Products
- Field Pocket Guide (record book for crop production)
- Field Scouting
- Ontario CropIPM - Integrated Pest Management Training Online
- PMRA Pesticide Label Search
- Sprayer Calibration Calculator
- Harvest Decision Calculator
- Ontario Weeds - Weed Gallery
- ontarioweeds.com (knowledge base of weed information)
Organic
Browse these pages for information on organic production, certification, and the business side of organic agriculture:
Recommended organic crop resources:
Pest Management
| General | Monitoring | Diseases & Disorders | Nematodes | Insects | Beneficials | Weeds | Vertebrates | Pesticide Safety | Pesticide Application |
Pest Management - General
Recommended resources:
Monitoring & Scouting
Diseases and Disorders
Recommended resources:
Nematodes
Insects & Mites
Recommended resources:
Beneficial Insects and Mites
Weeds
Recommended resources:
Vertebrate Pest Management
Pesticide safety
Recommended resources:
Pesticide Application
-
| Calibration | Nozzles
| Spraying Techniques | Drift
Reduction |
Calibration
Nozzles
Spraying Techniques
Drift Reduction
Harvest & Postharvest
Find information on harvest, cooling, storage, grading, inspection, and postharvest issues in the recommended resources below:
| Harvest | Storage problems | Storage Recommendations | Regulations | General |
Harvest
Storage Problems
Storage Recommendations
Regulations
General
Food Safety
These index pages will get you to the information you need:
Recommended food safety resources:
Business and Innovation
Sharpen your pencil and browse OMAFRA's business and innovation resources:
Business planning
Recommended resources:
Marketing and value added
Recommended resources:
Farm programs
Recommended resources:
Innovation
Recommended resources:
Weather and Climate
You can't control the weather, but you can be prepared. And it's always a good topic of conversation.
Recommended weather and climate resources:
Environmental Stewardship
You can find lots of information on these index pages:
Recommended environmental stewardship resources:
Specialists and Services
Stats and Facts
Tools and Additional Resources
For your library or the seat of your pickup truck: