North Central Washington Tree Fruit Days Offer Learning Opportunities

Washington State University (WSU) is hosting Tree Fruit Extension programs for North Central Washington this January 16 through 18 at the Wenatchee Convention Center. Three specialized day events are available, with a hybrid in-person and Zoom attendance option. Pesticide update credits will be available each day.

These events have been co-sponsored by Northwest Cherries, Pear Bureau Northwest, NCW Fieldmen’s Association, Chelan Future Farmers of America, and the Okanogan Horticultural Association.

Pear Day: January 16, 8:45 am - 3:30 pm

In-person attendance: free. Virtual attendance: $20. Registration required.

The morning session focuses on Pest and Disease Management. Topics include managing mites, psylla, phenology-based pear integrated pest management, scouting and thresholds, and honeydew washing.

Afternoon sessions focus on preventing pathogens, managing fire blight, decay prevention, marketing strategies, and high density pears.

WSU's Pear Day page offers a full breakdown of the schedule and speakers.

Stone Fruit Day: January 17, 8:45 am - 3:30 pm

In-person attendance: free. Virtual attendance: $20. Registration required.

The morning is split into two sessions. The first session focuses on insect and disease management. Topics include fungal dieback, cherry cankers, X-disease, little cherry disease, powdery mildew, and new pesticide regulations. The second session focuses on bird management techniques, including assessing risk, attracting beneficial species, and tools such as cannons, drones, lasers, barriers, and sonic nets.

After lunch, the third session focuses on horticulture and markets. Topics include an update on cherry variety research, stone fruit marketing, cropload management, and preventing cherry doubling. In-person attendees will also be able to attend a session on how to prevent overset fruit, reviewing pruning methods for Gisela vs Mazzard rootstocks.

WSU's Stone Fruit Day page offers a full breakdown of the schedule and speakers.

Apple Day: January 18, 8:45 am - 3:30 pm

In-person attendance: free. Virtual attendance: $20. Registration required.

The first morning session will review pest and disease management. Topics include woolly apple aphid and codling moth management. The second morning session looks at BioControl, utilizing natural enemies for pests like aphids and thrips.

The afternoon session focuses on technology and mechanization. Topics include mechanical harvest research, smart sprayers, irrigation automation, precision spraying, and soil mapping.

WSU's Apple Day page offers a full breakdown of the schedule and speakers.

A Spanish Session will also be available in-person only, January 18, 1-4pm.