SW Michigan Fruit Update
March 28, 2006
Weather
The winter was relatively mild. Early December was cold and snowy but January was mild. February and March have been seasonably cold. A cold snap occurred in mid February. Temperatures were close to 60 on the 16th and near zero on the 18th and 19th. This may have caused some damage to fruit buds and young plants, but generally conditions look good in the region. There was little snow after New Years, but soils have adequate moisture at this time. Growing Degree Day accumulations are about average for this time of year. All the accumulation occurred from March 11 to the 13th, when highs were near 60 and lows about freezing. Two new stations have been added to the MAWN network in the Southwest region, Scottdale in Central Berrien County and Lawton in Eastern Van Buren County. This week’s forecast is for warmer weather, which should move fruit buds along so that green tissue is showing by this time next week.
Southwest Michigan Growing Degree Day Totals March 1 through March 26, 2005 |
Grapes, April 1 |
|||
Location |
GDD 42 |
GDD 45 |
GDD 50 |
GDD 50 |
46 |
35 |
19 |
0 |
|
47 |
35 |
18 |
0 |
|
49 |
36 |
19 |
0 |
|
44 |
32 |
15 |
0 |
|
Lawton |
|
|
|
0 |
50 |
37 |
20 |
0 |
|
38 |
27 |
13 |
0 |
|
Tree fruit
Most tree fruits are in the swollen
bud stage.
Apricots buds have burst and are at red tip. In some varieties only a few buds have swollen, many buds have not swelled indicating that the February cold snap did cause some damage.
Peaches buds are swollen. Winter fruit bud loss has been reported is some varieties and on lower, colder sites. The time is quickly passing for peach leaf curl sprays.
Both sweet and tart cherries are at the swollen bud stage; in warmer sites a few buds are approaching green side.
In Plums, Oriental plum buds have burst but European plums buds are just beginning to swell.
Apples buds are swelling. Early varieties such as Empire are at silver tip. We should be at green tip by next week and growers will need to worry about apple scab. Because of the mild winter, I expect scab spores in the leaf litter will be ready as soon as green tissue is available for infection. Growers should be ready to apply scab sprays.
Pears buds are just beginning to swell. Pear Psylla adults are out.
Small Fruit
Blueberry fruit buds are swollen but leaf buds have not moved. The dry weather is holding back mummyberry mushroom development.
Grapes are dormant.
Strawberries are beginning to put out new leaves. Growers are applying herbicides and putting down straw mulch.
Raspberries are dormant.
Cranberries are dormant.
Miscellaneous
Growers are finishing pruning and clearing brush.
The first Monday Fruit Update meeting will be, Monday April 10, at the Fruit Acres Farm in Berrien County.
Southwest Michigan, 2006 Fruit IPM Meetings
The Monday Fruit IPM update meetings will be at Annette and Randy Bjorge’s Fruit Acres in Berrien County again this year. The meetings will begin on April 10 and run until July 10. There will be no Monday meetings on Memorial Day, May 29 and July 3. The meeting will run from 5 to 6:30 PM. Each meeting will be a review of the current fruit pest situation in Berrien County with displays of insects and fruit collected that day from area fruit plantings. Al Gaus, Bill Shane and Mark Longstroth will share the results of their scouting and discuss current and upcoming pest events and emergences. (Each week will change with changing pest complex). The meeting dates are April 10, 17, 24, May 1, 8, 15, 22, June 5, 12, 19, 26, and finally July 10. RUP credits have been applied for private pesticide applicators and commercial fruit (1C).
Southwest Michigan, 2006 Grape IPM Meetings
There will be a series of Grape IPM meetings in Van Buren and Berrien Counties again this year. The meetings will be on Thursdays. The meeting dates are April 20, May 25 and July 13. The morning meeting will be from 10 AM to noon at the Cronenwett Farm Shop at 70123 28th Street east of Lawton. The afternoon meeting will be at the Berrien County MSU Extension Office at the Southwest Michigan Research & Extension Center. These meeting are Co-sponsored by National Grape Cooperative and MSU Extension and are open to all grape growers. The format for the meetings will be a review of insect and disease control in grapes specific to either early, mid or late season, focusing on the pests of each season during that meeting. The April 20, 2006 meeting will review prebloom insect and disease control. The May 25 meeting will discuss bloom sprays and July 13 meeting will cover late season insects and diseases. Al Gaus and Mark Longstroth of MSU Extension and Terry Holloway of National Grape who will share the results of their scouting will host the meetings. Drs. Rufus Isaacs and Annemiek Schilder will the featured speakers and discuss current and upcoming pest control windows. RUP credits have been applied for private pesticide applicators and commercial fruit (1C).
