Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/622402
www.goodfruit.com Good Fruit Grower JANUARY 15, 2016 39 meadow voles and insects that can damage young trees and fruit. Through a monitoring effort of nest boxes in 2013-2015, led by graduate student Megan Shave, they found nearly 100 percent occupancy by kestrels. Using a 30-day nesting period, Lindell extrapolated that the kes- trel pairs monitored would remove thousands of insects and numerous birds and mammals from the area. Although nest boxes can be very successful, they will not solve entire pest problems, she said. Nonetheless, she added, "This looks like a nice, low-cost, low-mainte- nance contribution to integrated pest management. "The bottom line is, assess the risk, decrease your resources and manage for detrimental birds, and increase your resources for beneficial predators." • Photo by Catherine LindeLL Graduate student Megan Shave, right, led a monitoring effort from 2013-2015 to determine usage of nest boxes by American kestrels, small falcons that prey on nuisance birds and other animals and insects that can damage young trees and fruit. Here, Shave is examining a kestrel with the help of undergraduate student Emily Oja. tJ MuLLinax/Good Fruit Grower Kesterel nest boxes can provide "a nice, low-cost, low- maintenance contribution to integrated pest management," says researcher Catherine Lindell. These were made at Dahle Cherry and Pear Orchards in Hood River, Oregon. Consider for your next planting: • BRUCE PONDER • SUSAN WILKINSON • ADAM WEIL • DAVE WEIL 503-538-2131 • FAX: 503-538-7616 info@treeconnect.com www.treeconnect.com BENEFITS: • Disease tolerant • Cold hardy • Adapts well to all cherry-growing districts • Forms flower buds and comes into bearing quicker than Mazzard with a better distribution of flower buds Dwarfing Cherry Rootstock Krymsk ® 5 Krymsk ® 6 [cv. VSL-2, USPP 15,723] [cv. LC-52, USPP 16,114] "Krymsk ® 5 and Krymsk ® 6 cherry rootstocks have proven to be the best rootstock for our orchards. They are yield efficient, grow and adapt well, and are cold hardy." —John Morton The Dalles, Oregon Adapts well to all cherry-growing districts [cv. VSL-2, [cv. VSL-2, USPP 15,723] 15,723] USPP 15,723] USPP 15,723] 15,723] [cv. LC-52, [cv. LC-52, USPP 16,114] 16,114] USPP 16,114] USPP 2016 ROOTS AVAILABLE NOW Call Tree Connection: 800-421-4001