Crop Update

Strawberries

Hot, dry weather continues across much of Southern and Eastern Ontario. Make sure renovated fields receive enough water to encourage new growth after mowing. Miticides should be applied a week after renovation for the best cyclamen mite control. Watch for aphids on the regrowth in renovated field.

Mid-August is a good time to apply more fertilizer- 25-30 kg/ha of nitrogen in both new and renovated fields. Renovated fields should be in good shape for mid-August when fruit bud initiation begins for next year’s harvest.  

New fields:

• New fields are filling in well but make sure to irrigate to encourage good runner establishment.
• Insect pressure remains fairly low. Although pressure is low, watch for aphids, flea beetles, and potato leafhoppers. Aphids need to be managed regularly throughout the season to control viruses.    
• Leaf diseases are showing up in new fields. Consider adding a fungicide in your next aphid spray. Choose a product that will control both powdery mildew and other leaf diseases present in the field.
• Leaf analysis can help assess the nutrient status of strawberry plants and more accurately determine fertilizer requirements for nutrients. Take leaf samples by August 20 for non-fruiting plantings. Collect at least 50 fully expanded, recently matured leaves with petioles removed.

Day-neutrals:

• Volumes are increasing and quality remains high.
• With the dry conditions anthracnose and botrytis pressure is very low. Save the most effective fungicides for anthracnose control (Miravis Prime or Switch) for later this season when there’s rain and higher pressure.
• As always, the Strawberry Disease Decision Support System is available to time fungicide applications for botrytis and anthracnose.

Raspberries

Summer-fruiting raspberry harvest is finished following a good season. Clean up summer-fruiting raspberries if there are other berries on the farm to help manage SWD. Fall-bearing raspberries are ripening and harvest will begin soon. SWD management will be the priority for fall-bearing raspberries. Keep fall-bearing fields as clean as possible as harvest begins- pick every 2 days if possible.

Blueberries

Blueberry harvest continues with a few more weeks to go. Exirel will control SWD and Japanese beetle if needed.  Maintain regular insecticide coverage for SWD control, and encourage clean picking.  

Spotted Wing Drosophila Monitoring

Ripe and ripening berry crops are at risk of SWD damage across Ontario. SWD traps were set up in Norfolk, Elgin, Halton, Haldimand, and Hamilton this season. Additionally, a team from Boréal College is currently monitoring SWD in Temiskaming, Nipissing and Sudbury regions, which has been monitoring and catching SWD since the week of July 3^rd. All berry growers should be managing SWD in ripe and ripening crops. Thank you to the consultants, researchers, and OMAFA summer students for monitoring traps and sharing results! Monitor fruit quality with a salt-water test. See previous bulletins for management information, or cropIPM.

Upcoming events

Mark your calendars for these exciting events coming up for berry growers!

• September 3– Strawberry High Tunnel Grower Day, 1-4 pm, EZ Grow Farms, email research@ontarioberries.com to register.  
• September 4– BGO’s Annual Twilight Meeting, 4-8 pm, Howe Family Farms. Dinner is free for BGO members, and $35 for non-members. Email info@ontarioberries.com to register.

Berry Grower News

Looking for previous berry-related articles posted on onfruit.ca or in The Grower? These are now available in one convenient location on the onfruit.ca blog under the ‘Berries’ tab> Berry Grower News. Find articles on pest management, recent projects, minor use updates, and berry production. Recent articles include Fall Herbicide Applications for Blueberries and Raspberries and Cyclamen Mite Management.