Table of Contents
Crop Update
Strawberries: Strawberry buds and early bloom are beginning to be found under row covers. Fields that are not covered are beginning to fill in with new leaves and some buds can be found in the crown in early varieties. Bravo or Echo can be applied before bloom for botrytis control to reduce disease inoculum and help with disease management later in the season. Apply two applications if possible, 10 days apart. Make sure to get these applications on before bloom with the 30-day PHI.
Insect activity has been low but watch for mites and aphids, especially where row covers were used. Check for strawberry aphids on the underside of young, folded leaves. An insecticide should be applied for overwintering aphids once all aphids are hatched. Cygon, Lagon, Beleaf and group 4s can be applied at this timing to control aphids.
Cyclamen mite management begins with early monitoring. Keep a close eye on fields where cyclamen mite was a problem last year, or fields that are row-covered. Watch for wrinkled, distorted, stunted leaves as the plants begin to grow (Figure 1 and 2). In addition to Agri-mek, Magister is now labelled for cyclamen mite control on strawberries at a rate of 2.63 L/ha. Avoid using group 3 products if you have a history of cyclamen mite problems, as group 3s are hard on natural predators.
Growers are beginning to plant day-neutrals and June-bearing strawberries. Apply 50 kg of nitrogen with phosphorus and potassium before planting or as a side dressing 2-3 weeks after planting.
Blueberries:
Blueberries are at tight cluster. The first fertilizer application should be on or going on soon. Older bushes (6 years+) require 36-48 g of actual nitrogen per bush. Applied in a split application 18 g of nitrogen can be applied now, followed by a second application at petal fall and a third early July.
Disease control: An early broad-spectrum fungicide such as Bravo or Echo can help manage phomopsis and anthracnose. These diseases produce spores in overwintering cankers in the spring, which can be rain splashed to new growth.
If you have a history of mummy berry control is required from bud burst through early bloom.
Raspberries: are leafing out and new primocanes are beginning to grow. Tanos can be applied now for early season disease control.
Irrigation for frost protection
Review The irrigation for frost protection of strawberries | ontario.ca factsheet as we head into bloom and possible frost control. Kathy Demchak from Penn State joined us in April for a webinar on frost control options. Check out the presentation here. Test your thermometers now and compare to the forecast to have an idea how the temperature in your field compares to the forecast and the recorded temperature by weather stations.
A reminder of the critical temperatures for strawberries:
The dew point is important to determine when to start irrigation. Forecasted dewpoints are available on WeatherUnderground or Environment Canada has current dewpoints.
IPM workshops
- Strawberry & Raspberry IPM Workshop tomorrow: Scout training workshop (free)
May 6, 9:00 am- 12:30 pm. 1283 Blueline rd. Simcoe, On. Click here to register.
Berry Crop Protection Update
These lists include new products and product changes for the 2025 season. Check out the Crop Protection Hub or the label (PMRA label search) for information on rate, preharvest interval, restricted entry interval, efficacy, and comments.
Click the link in the ‘crop’ column to see the product in the Crop Protection Hub.
Label expansions & new products in 2024-2025
| Product, a.i., Group, PCP | Crop | Pests | Comments |
| Insecticides & Miticides | |||
| Malathion 85 E malathion Group 1B (8372) | Strawberry | Tarnished plant bug | Rate for tarnished plant bug is 880 mL/ha. |
| Danitol fenpropathrin Group 3 (33817) | Raspberry | Raspberry fruitworm | PHI: 15 days |
| Magister Fenazaquin Group 21 (34544) | Strawberry | Cyclamen mite | Rate: 2.63 L/ha. Use with a surfactant at 0.25% where permitted. Avoid application during bloom. |
| Spiro spirodiclofen Group 23 (34247) | Blueberry | Blueberry bud mite | |
| Spear T GS-omega/kappa-Hxtx-Hv1a Group 32 (34679) | Raspberry Blueberry | Spotted wing drosophila (suppression only) | Rate is 9.4-28 L/ha. Use with a spreader/sticker or non-ionic surfactant at 0.125% where permitted. |
| BioTitan WP Beauvaria bassiana NC (33923) | Strawberry | Tarnished plant bug (reduction in numbers only) | Do not tank-mix with a fungicide. |
| Suffoil X 80% mineral oil Group NC (33099) | Strawberry | Two-spotted spider mite | New rate: 10 L/1000 L water |
| Product, a.i., Group, PCP | Crop | Pests | Comments |
| Fungicides | |||
| Cevya Mefentrifluconazole Group 3 (33405) | Strawberry | Botrytis grey mould (suppression only) | 0 day PHI |
| Blueberry | Botrytis grey mould (Suppression only); Mummy berry (suppression only); Septoria leaf spot | ||
| Currants | Septoria leaf spot | ||
| Inspire Super Cyprodonil + Difenoconazole Group 3+9 (30827) | Strawberry | Anthracnose (suppression only); Botrytis grey mould | Do not make more than 3 applications of cyprodonil-containing products on strawberries per year (Inspire Super, Switch) |
| Flint Extra Trifloxystrobin Group 11 (34962) | Strawberry | Powdery mildew | Flint Extra is replacing Flint. Do not tank-mix or make sequential applications with Exirel. |
| Allegro 500F fluazinam Group 29 (27517) | Blueberry | Botrytis grey mould | |
| Captan 480 SC captan Group M (34551) | Strawberry | Botrytis grey mould, common leaf spot | Suspension formulation of captan. Note 8-day PHI. |
| Raspberry, blackberry | Botrytis grey mould, spur blight | ||
| Blueberry | Botrytis grey mould, mummy berry | ||
| EcoSwing Swinglea glutinosa extract Group BM1 (35206) | Blueberry | Botrytis grey mould (Partial suppression only); mummy berry | 0 day PHI |
| Raspberry Gooseberry Strawberry | Botrytis grey mould (Partial suppression only) | ||
| ProBLAD Biofungicide BLAD polypeptide 20% Group BM1 (34050) | Raspberry | Botrytis grey mould | 0 day PHI |
| Blueberry | |||
| Minuet Bacillus subtilis Group BM2 (33651) | Strawberry | Black root rot (suppression only) | Can be applied via surface applications, transplant drench, or drip irrigation |
| Salibro Fluazaindolizine NC (34182) | Strawberry | Root-knot nematode (suppression only) | Application methods include pre-plant incorporated, chemigation (pre-plant, at-plant, or post-plant), and soil drench (pre-plant, at-plant, or post-plant). |
Recent Re-evaluation Decisions for Berry Growers
| Registration cancellations | ||
| Product (PCP #) | Crop (Pest) | Decision |
| Fenbuconazole: Indar (27294) | Blueberry (mummy berry) | Fenbuconazole discontinued. Last date of use is December 31, 2025. |
Additionally, production and sale of Poast Ultra is discontinued for all use patterns. Betamix has also been discontinued. Botector and Apollo are no longer available and have been removed from the Hub.