SW Michigan Fruit Update

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Southwest Michigan, April 16, 2007

Mark Longstroth, Bill Shane, Greg Vlaming

Weather

Temperatures were cool with lows near freezing and highs near 40.  Plant development has virtually stopped.  We picked up only a few GDD.  Next weeks forecast is for warmer weather for the end of the week. Soils are cool and wet.

Southwest Michigan Growing Degree Day Totals March 1 through April 15, 2007				Grapes, from April 1
Location	GDD 42	GDD 45	GDD 50	GDD 50
Scottdale	256	198	126	19
SWMREC:	239	184	116	18
Bainbridge:	243	189	120	19
Hartford:	232	179	113	18
Lawton	273	218	145	25
Grand Junction:	262	207	133	21
South Haven	245	192	124	21
Fennville:	204	154	94	14

Tree fruit

There was little insect active due to the cold.  Exposed green leaf tissues still appear recently damaged from the freeze.  We expect to see little improvement until it warms up.  Warmer temperatures will make it easier to determine the extent of the injury.  It is apparent that damage from the Easter freeze was very variable due to site and variety differences.

Apricots suffered severe damage from the freeze.

Peaches are at pink bud in Berrien County.  A good crop of peaches is still possible in Berrien County but further away from the lake all the peach flowers were killed.

Tart cherriesare at bud burst. It appears that the crop has been reduced by 75%.

Sweet cherries are at open cluster. Damage seems to be very variety specific.  Cultivars on dwarfing rootstocks were more advanced and suffered more damage.

In Plums, European plums at tight cluster suffered little damage.  Oriental plums suffered severe damages. 

Apples are at tight cluster.  Damage was widespread with early varieties severely affected.  Later developing varieties suffered much less damage.  There were no apple scab infections since April 4.  

Pears open cluster and suffered no damage. 

Small fruit

Blueberry fruit buds are swollen.  Early developing varieties show brown buds.  Exposed green leaf tissue shows browning and damaged tissues are more susceptible to mummyberry.  Mummyberry mushrooms are out.

Grapes: Concord buds are at early swell and vinifera grapes at scale crack.  Losses appear to be about 50 % of the primaries.  It will be easier to determine the potential crop after bud swell of the live buds resumes.

Strawberries are putting out new leaves and the trusses are visible in the crown of the plant. Covered strawberries were not severely damaged by the freeze.

Raspberries are at quarter inch green.  .

Cranberries are dormant.

Miscellaneous

Growers are pruning and clearing brush.

The next Monday Fruit Update meeting will be, Monday April 23, at the Fruit Acres Farm in Berrien County.  There are RUP credits available for the Monday Fruit Updates.