Boston Flora

Tag: Jon Clements

  • Saturday, April 7, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm – Home Orchard Establishment, Basics, and Pest Management

    Enjoy a day at Windy Hill Farm, 686 Stockbridge Road in Great Barrington, with Dr. Dan Colley and Jon Clements, as part of the UMass Extension courses, this time focusing on Home Orchard Establishment, Basics, and Pest Management. The morning session (10 – noon) will cover the basics of planting fruit trees, including site selection, choice of variety and rootstock, planting best practices, tree training and pruning, fertilization and ongoing fruit tree care. (In-depth pest management will be covered in the afternoon session.) If weather permits, there will be a hands-on demonstration of planting fruit trees at Windy Hill Farm Orchards. One of the most challenging thing about growing your own fruit is knowing how to identify the insect pests and diseases that might afflict them. From 1 – 3, learn the basics of pest and disease identification and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in the home orchard. Hands-on, scouting, monitoring, placement of traps, etc. will be covered. You may take either session separately ($35) or take both at a reduced price. To register, visit http://ag.umass.edu/fruit/news-events/mass-aggie-seminars/mass-aggie-seminars-2018

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  • Saturday, March 24, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Home Orchard Pruning: A Hands-On Workshop

    This UMass Extension presentation on home orchard pruning will be held on Saturday, March 24 from 10 – 1. The joy of growing fruit in the home garden is enjoying a renaissance. One of the key steps in successful fruit growing is the act of pruning the trees. This can seem daunting and complicated, but it’s not! Not once you understand the principles involved. Come learn how to properly prune your fruit trees (apples, pears, peaches, etc.). Participants will have the opportunity to conduct actual pruning and gain both experience and confidence in pruning fruit trees in order to produce a bountiful crop. $35.

    The class will be taught by Jon Clements and Liz Garofalo at Windy Hill Farm, 686 Stockbridge Road in Great Barrington. Register and pay via credit card for any Mass Aggie seminar by visiting http://ag.umass.edu/fruit/news-events/mass-aggie-seminars/mass-aggie-seminars-2018. You will be taken to a secure RegOnline site where you will be able to choose which seminars you wish to attend and to pay. You will receive an e-mail receipt of your transaction. This workshop will be partially out of doors so please dress appropriately for potentially wet, cold, and muddy conditions.

  • Saturday, May 3, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Insect Pests & Diseases of Apples

    The University of Massachusetts Extension will sponsor a seminar in Insect Pests & Diseases of Apples – And How to Manage Them on Saturday, May 3, from 10 – 1 at Tangerini’s Spring Street Farm, 139 Spring Street in Millis. The class will be led by Dan Cooley and Jon Clements. One of the most challenging thing about growing your own fruit is knowing how to identify the insect pests and diseases that might afflict them. Learn the basics of pest and disease identification and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in the home orchard. Hands-on, scouting, monitoring, placement of traps, etc. will be covered. $50 fee.  Register on line at https://classic.regonline.com/builder/site/?eventid=1460640. Image by Jon Clements.

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  • Saturday, April 26, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – The 100 Square Foot, 25 Tree, 5 Variety Backyard Apple Orchard Fruiting Wall

    The University of Massachusetts Extension has a fabulous class and hands on seminar scheduled for Saturday, April 26, from 10 – 2, with Jon Clements at Wards Berry Farm, 614 South Main Street in Sharon. Your fruiting wall will produce two bushels each of five apple varieties in just 3 years from planting using just over 100 square feet of backyard! We will spend some time indoors talking about site, variety, rootstock selection, planting, and annual care (including pest management) of your fruiting apple wall. Then, we will go outdoors and actually plant the orchard from start to finish including site preparation, fertilization, pruning, and tree support. Voila! Instant orchard. There will be a break for participants to enjoy a BYO lunch. $85 fee.  Register at https://classic.regonline.com/builder/site/?eventid=1460640.

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