Hurricanes can have significant impacts on Florida blueberry operations, including wind damage (uprooting and defoliation), flooding, and disease. Blueberry growers should consider the following pre-storm preparations and post-storm management items to help minimize these impacts.
Credits: D. Chapman
Before the Storm—Farm Preparations
• Check fields for surface water drainage. Ensure that
ditches, canals, areas between beds, and the ends of rows
are clear and that water can flow freely out of production
fields.
• Make sure to have sufficient diesel fuel on hand to operate
farm equipment and drainage pumps.
• Check that generators and chainsaws are working
properly.
• Scout for potential debris and secure items that may be
propelled by strong winds before the storm.
• Purchase materials for resetting plants blown over during
the storm (e.g., bamboo or fiberglass stakes and tie tape).
• Purchase mefenoxam containing products (e.g., Ridomil,
Ultra Flourish, Orondis, etc.) and phosphorous acid
products (“phytes”) to manage Phytophthora root rot in
case of prolonged flooded conditions.
• Secure important records and documents, including
production records, financial records, and insurance
documents.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management has additional hurricane preparation information at https://www.floridadisaster.org/planprepare/preparing-for-hurricane-season/.
After the Storm—Management Suggestions
The following best management practices should be consistently applied after a hurricane to alleviate or avoid additional plant stress:
• Reset and stake uprooted lodged plants as quickly as possible
to reduce losses from desiccation and plant death.
• Examine irrigation systems when waters recede to make
sure they are functioning properly.
• Repair raised beds and weed cloth, and resume bed
irrigation and pH monitoring, adjusting as necessary.
• Carefully monitor irrigation after the storm and rains
pass to prevent further drought stress in plants with
damaged root systems.
• Resume scheduled fertilizer applications after waters have
receded and when beds begin to drain. Consider reducing
the rates of nitrogen where plants have been stressed and
begin to slowly return to recommended timings and rates
for the given deciduous or evergreen production system.
• Look for disease symptoms and insect pests. Apply
management and control suggestions as appropriate;
see EDIS Publication HS1156, “2024 Florida Blueberry
Integrated Pest Management Guide”
(https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS380).
• Ideally, applications of Ridomil or another mefenoxam
fungicide that help prevent Phytophthora root rot will
have already been made in early summer prior to hurricane
activity. Two applications of these products per
year are allowed, and where a second application was not
made earlier, consider making that application prior to a
predicted storm impact when possible. When not possible,
the second application can be made after waters have
receded either in a banded bed application or through
certain irrigation systems. (Consult the product label for
more details.) These applications can help prevent root
rot development, but they will not cure severely affected
plants or those dying from flooding (hypoxia). Also
consider making foliar applications of phosphorous acid
products (“phytes”) when field conditions allow.
• Good recordkeeping is important to document any losses
suffered. Include detailed production records from prior
years and pictures and video of all areas of the farm
affected by the storm.
For additional information see UF/IFAS EDIS Publication HS1342, Impacts of Hurricane Damage on Southern Highbush Blueberries (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1342). The points listed above were taken from this publication.
CREDITS
DOUG PHILLIPS, UF/IFAS,
JEFF WILLIAMSON, UF/IFAS
& PHIL HARMON, UF/IFAS
