Don’t coddle the codling moth.
That’s the message from
orchardists and horticulturists as Hood River Valley fruit trees enter
their prime growing period.
According to Oregon State
University Extension horticulturist Steve Castagnoli, home fruit tree
owners must take steps to avoid hosting harmful pests such as the
fruit-destroying codling moth.
Hood River County Ordinance 263
requires that fruit diseases and pests be controlled on host plants,
including fruit trees and non-commercial hosts.
If pests are not controlled, the
county may require destruction of the crop and/or trees at the owner’s
expense.
If you want to grow fruits but do
not want to spray, consider growing fruits such as cane berries,
strawberries, and blueberries that will not impact surrounding orchards,
Castagnoli advises.
The Hood River Grower-Shipper
Association considers this situation to be of critical significance and is
providing an incentive for those voluntarily removing pear, apple and
crabapple trees. They are providing coupons redeemable at Gorge Nursery
and Good News Gardening toward the purchase of non-fruit-bearing plants
and participating Fruit Loop Members for fruit.
Over the last year, this program
has been very successful at encouraging home owners to remove marginally
cared-for fruit trees, with over 40 percent of those contacted directly
removing trees, according to Castagnoli.
To take advantage of this program,
contact the Association at 387-4769.
