Irrigation and Fertilization Practices for the Summer Months

Southern highbush blueberries (SHB) experience a significant amount of canopy growth during the summer months following post-harvest pruning. Most of the fruiting wood for next year’s crop is produced during the summer months. Careful irrigation and fertilization management is needed to ensure that the plants have sufficient water and nutrients to support this growth. 

UF/IFAS Blueberry Breeding Program Update

Florida producers continue to face major challenges as global production during the historical “Florida window” puts downward pressure on prices. As a land grant university, the University of Florida’s mission is to help Florida growers, nurseries, marketers, retailers, and ultimately Florida consumers. 

July

Management Practices for Weeds on Your Blueberry Operation

The most important method of weed control is preventing current weeds in your field from developing seeds. Some common weed species in blueberry can produce more than 100,000 seeds per plant and can survive in the soil profile for 5 to 15 years. Preemergence herbicides can provide residual weed control for many weeks or months. But the frequent summer rainfall events may move the preemergence herbicide below the area of greatest control. So blueberry growers will rely on postemergence herbicides when they experience a reduction in weed control from preemergence herbicides.

Contact: Brittany H. Lee, President, Florida Blueberry Growers Association, 352-505-8878

Research on Most Effective Way to Keep Your Blueberries Hydrated

Florida blueberry growers produce more berries this year, despite pollination problems, gall midge and Hurricane Irma.

Just a reminder to blueberry growers that it is time to monitor for the presence of adult blueberry gall midge on your farms. Adults are typically active beginning in November, with a peak in January and February in central and south-central Florida, and a peak in February and March in north-central Florida. Emergence is typically triggered by cool days followed by warm days. It is thought that adult males emerge approximately two weeks before the emergence of adult females. Monitoring can be done using either a bucket trap placed on the ground below the plant canopy (3-5 per acre) or a clear sticky panel trap hung in the lower part of the plant canopy (1-3 per acre) (see Oscar Liburd gall midge bulletin attached). Spraying with recommended insecticides should begin when two or more adults are found in a trap.

Positively Affecting the Blueberry Industry with ‘Little Changes’ Campaign

Q&A with Bill Braswell on Recent Bills Past

With Jeanette Klopchin, Pollinator Protection Specialist, Division of Agricultural Environmental Services, FDACS

Avoiding Water Stress During the Fruit Development Period

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<strong>Highlights and risk management strategies from the 2016 Florida Agriculture Financial Management Conference</strong>

<strong>Last year’s chill hours and tracking temperatures for 2016-17 winter </strong>

WHEN I THINK of the recent challenges growers have faced, I’m reminded of a quote, which I’m sure many of you have heard: “The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn’t still be a farmer.” Made memorable by Will Rogers, this quote rings true for today’s growers as much as it did in his era (if not more).