Penn State Extension
Penn State Extension
Articles Tree Fruit Insect Pest - Spotted Lanternfly
Grzegorz (Greg) Krawczyk, Ph.D.
The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, an invasive plant hopper was first detected in Pennsylvania in the fall of 2014. More
Articles Orchard Pollination: Solitary (Mason) Bees
Dave Biddinger, Ph.D.
Growers of bee-pollinated crops, particularly apples, may be interested in the possible use of solitary bees as pollinators. More
Articles Adding Small Fruits to Your Small Farm
Marley E Skinner, Robert Pollock, Mike Basedow
Consider diversifying your farm by adding small fruit like blueberries or strawberries. More
Articles Small Fruit Cold Hardiness - Winter Injury in Brambles
Rich Marini, Ph.D., Kathy Demchak
Weather is also becoming more variable resulting in early-winter cold snaps and winter thaws followed by extreme cold events. More
Articles Pollinators and Pesticide Sprays during Bloom in Fruit Plantings
Dave Biddinger, Ph.D., Kathy Demchak, Ed Rajotte, Ph.D., Tara Baugher
Use of pesticides during bloom is a complicated problem with the solutions relying on understanding the detailed relationships among chemicals, pollinators and pest management needs. More
Articles Manejo en la Postcosecha de Bayas
Montserrat Fonseca Estrada
Las bayas (fresas, frambuesas, zarzamoras, y arándanos) son frutas maravillosas; además de ser deliciosas y nutritivas tienen buen precio en el mercado. More
Articles Bramble Diseases - Viruses
Kathy Demchak
Virus diseases can seriously damage brambles, especially raspberries, and can affect the lifetime of a planting. More
Articles Bramble Diseases - Virus Control
Kathy Demchak
Control measures for virus diseases in brambles are aimed mainly at removing sources of the virus from within and around the planting. More
Articles Bramble Disease - Verticillium Wilt
Kathy Demchak
Verticillium wilt is caused by two common soilborne fungi (Verticillium dahliae and Verticillium albo-atrum) that have a wide host range and attack more than 300 woody and herbaceous plants. More
Articles Bramble Disease - Spur Blight
Kathy Demchak
Red and purple raspberries are more affected by spur blight, Didymella applanata, than black raspberries. Blackberries appear to be immune. More
Articles Bramble Disease - Mosaic Virus
Kathy Demchak
Mosaic affects all raspberries but seldom affects blackberries. The mosaic virus complex overwinters in infected plants and is spread by aphids. More
Articles Bramble Disease - Managing Orange Rust
Kathy Demchak, mahfuzur rahman
Orange rust, Gymnoconia nitens, is a systemic disease, any plants propagated from infected plants will also be infected. More
Articles Bramble Disease - Leaf Curl Virus
Kathy Demchak
Raspberries are affected more severely by leaf curl than are blackberries. More
Articles Bramble Disease - Crumbly Berry
Kathy Demchak
Crumbly berry, also called raspberry bushy dwarf, is the most common bramble virus in the Mid-Atlantic region. It is caused by the tomato ringspot virus. More
Articles Raspberry Diseases - Crown Gall and Cane Gall
Kathy Demchak
Crown gall, Agrobacterium tumifaciens, and cane gall, Agrobacterium rubi, are bacterial diseases that seriously limit raspberry production in Pennsylvania. More
Articles Bramble Disease - Cane Blight
Kathy Demchak
Cane blight is caused by the fungus Leptosphaeria coniothyrium, which also causes a canker on roses and a fruit rot of apple and pear. More
Articles Bramble Disease - Black Raspberry Streak
Kathy Demchak
Black raspberry streak is caused by a virus. During warm periods, inconspicuous purple streaks less than 1 inch long form on the lower part of infected canes. More
Articles Orchard Wildlife Management - Birds
Margaret C. Brittingham, Ph.D.
On many farms or orchards, bird damage is minimal while for others, problems from birds can be substantial. More
Articles Growing Raspberries and Strawberries in Containers
Kathy Demchak, Matthew Cooper
Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) High and Low Tunnel Berry Project Update #1—information on growing strawberries and raspberries in containers. More
Online Courses $99.00
This course prepares you to grow berries, from choosing varieties, to planting, to handling pests and diseases. Growing can be rewarding and profitable. More
News Given the mild winter and earliness of berry crops this year, it’s not a big surprise that spotted wing drosophila presence is early, too. More
Articles Should Growers Befriend Wasps?
Tom Butzler
Small fruit and vegetable growers understand the role that honeybees, bumblebees, and solitary bees play in pollination of crops. More
Articles Dealing with High Soluble Salt Levels in High Tunnels
Elsa Sanchez, Ph.D.
Some growers have expressed concern about soil test analysis revealing abnormally high soluble salt levels in the soils of their high tunnels. This article outlines past studies and recommendations. More
Articles Spotted Wing Drosophila, Part 3: Monitoring
Kathy Demchak
This article explains how to monitor for spotted wing drosophila, an invasive vinegar (fruit) fly first detected in Pennsylvania in 2011, using traps. More
Articles This article provides information and photos to aid in identifying spotted wing drosophila, an invasive vinegar fly that was found in the Northeast in 2011. More