injury to the plants may occur before the mulch is applied. The plants should 

 be allowed to become dormant and the mulch applied at once. Unfortunately there 

 is no quick, easy, reliable test for dormancy. The best indicators are leaf 

 color and temperature. After a couple of good frosts and the leaves have started 

 to turn red, it can be assumed that dormancy has set in. This usually occurs about 

 mid to late November. 



Before putting the plants to bed for the winter, it might be well to con- 

 sider chemical treatment for weeds. If weeds are not a serious problem, chemi- 

 cals had better not be used. If weeds particularly chickweed, are a problem, 

 look in the September issue of FRUIT NOTES, page 7, for directions covering the 

 use of chemicals. 



J. S. Bailey 



Associate Research Professor 

 of Pomology 



