HORTICULTURE
HORTICULTURE
Blueberry Production in Michigan
Michigan is the number one state in highbush blueberry production with 17,000 acres. Most of the acreage is located in the 5 southern most counties (Berrien, Van Buren, Allegan, Ottawa and Muskegon) on the Lake Michigan shore. The sandy glacial soils and high water tables result in excellent blueberry soils with pHs in the 4.5 to 5.5 range. Over 20 varieties are grown in Michigan. Jersey, Bluecrop, Rubel and Elliott are the major varieties. The harvest season normally runs from early July through October. Unlike other Michigan fruit crops most blueberry plantings are irrigated.
Michigan blueberry farms and acreage in 2000 |
||||
County |
Farms |
Acreage |
% Farms |
% Acreage |
Michigan |
575 |
18,000 |
||
191 |
7,250 |
33% |
40% |
|
Ottawa |
111 |
5,150 |
19% |
29% |
79 |
2,700 |
14% |
15% |
|
62 |
995 |
11% |
6% |
|
Muskegon |
25 |
1,060 |
4% |
6% |
Others |
107 |
915 |
19% |
5% |
Blueberry varieties by acreage and district in 2000 |
||||||
Variety |
Southwest |
West Central |
Others |
Michigan |
Michigan |
|
Berkeley |
110 |
40 |
15 |
165 |
170 |
|
Bluecrop |
2,540 |
2,165 |
85 |
4,790 |
4,500 |
|
Bluejay |
170 |
97 |
3 |
270 |
260 |
|
Blueray |
120 |
260 |
115 |
490 |
515 |
|
Bluetta |
105 |
67 |
3 |
160 |
175 |
|
Brigitta |
29 | 41 | 70 | # | ||
Burlington |
115 |
84 |
6 |
205 |
160 |
|
Collins |
29 |
28 |
3 |
60 |
55 |
|
Coville |
31 | 14 | 5 | 50 |
55 |
|
Duke |
225 |
123 |
2 |
350 |
290 |
|
Earliblue |
32 |
34 |
19 |
85 |
80 |
|
Elliott |
1,000 |
790 |
10 |
1,800 |
1,440 |
|
Jersey |
5,015 |
1,980 |
135 |
7,130 |
6,980 |
|
Nelson |
61 | 25 | 4 | 90 |
50 |
|
Northland |
75 |
31 |
19 |
125 |
95 |
|
Patriot |
43 |
10 |
22 |
75 |
140 |
|
| Pemberton | 23 | 34 | 8 | 65 | # | |
Rancocas |
140 |
8 |
2 |
150 |
160 |
|
Rubel |
1,150 |
435 |
5 |
1,590 |
1,590 |
|
Spartan |
32 |
24 |
14 |
70 |
75 |
|
Others* |
80 |
120 |
10 |
210 |
245 |
|
Total |
10,900 |
6,620 |
480 |
18,000 |
17,000 |
|
| # Brigetta and Pemberton were
included in Others in 1997 * Concord, Stanley and Weymouth are included in Others |
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Planted acreage information from the Michigan Fruit Survey 2000.
