June 24 Berry Bulletin

In this bulletin:

• Crop & Pest Update
• Spotted wing drosophila monitoring

Strawberries:  The peak of June-bearing harvest is moving along quickly with the hot temperatures this week. Most growers across the province are open for pick-your-own. Mid-season varieties are being picked and the Valley Sunset is starting to be picked in early areas. With the recent weather growers are finding wind damage and sunscald on some berries.  

In new fields check for leafhoppers, powdery mildew, and aphids. Aphids need to be controlled throughout the season to protect your new fields from virus. When aphid populations build up a spray is needed- likely every 3-4 weeks.

Day-Neutrals: Spring-planted day-neutrals are blooming. Where bloom and fruit is present make sure to apply a fungicide for anthracnose and botrytis before the next rain coming this Sunday/Monday. Check for tarnished plant bug where bloom is present, and apply an insecticide when approximately 25% of blossom clusters are infested. Also check leaves for two-spotted spider mite- hot dry weather can lead to mites building up.

Thrips:  thrips and thrips damage is showing up- on day-neutrals and Malwina check blossoms and under the calyces of green fruit for thrips. Delegate, Exirel and Harvanta are registered for suppression only.

Blueberries: are sizing up well and the crop is looking good. Spraying for SWD isn’t necessary until there is ripe fruit present and SWD is active in your area.

Raspberries:  Raspberries are setting green fruit. Raspberries need plenty of water at this point- make sure your crop is getting adequate irrigation, up to 2 inches of water per week during the green fruit stage.  Pest pressure has been fairly low at this point, but leafhoppers are starting to show up. Monitor for leafhopper nymphs on the underside of leaves.

Spotted Wing Drosophila Monitoring 2022- this year we are monitoring at a limited number of sites. Traps are set up in Oxford, Elgin, Norfolk, Brant, Hamilton, and Niagara. The first SWD have been found: 1 male SWD has been found in Elgin county and 4 male SWD were found on traps in the Niagara region. No SWD was found at the other sites.

Strawberry growers in the Niagara region and other early areas should consider applying an insecticide on late varieties. Spraying raspberries and blueberries isn’t necessary at this point until there is ripe fruit. In other regions prepare for SWD management and watch the ONfruit.ca blog for SWD updates. Pick as thoroughly as possible and cool fruit after harvest.

Spraying for SWD isn’t necessary until there is ripe fruit present + SWD is active in your area. Do not count on sprays alone– use as many of these tools as possible through the season to control SWD: 

• Keep your fruit picked regularly and clean!
• Cool fruit immediately after harvest.
• Keep alleys clean- either remove unmarketable fruit or crush it in the alley
• After unmarketable fruit is removed it should be destroyed (disposed of, or leave in plastic bags in the sun).
• Make the environment less favourable to SWD- prune the canopy and manage water to reduce humidity (repair leaking drop lines).
• Calibrate your sprayers now to ensure excellent coverage once you start to spray.
• Insecticides target SWD adults- make sure to spray when adults are active, in the morning and evening.
• Using Up-Cyde can lead to a mite outbreak. Reserve this product for fields that are in their final year of production.

Follow our ONfruit blog for regular updates and berry information.