The rain and fog we had over May 27th to 28th was NOT long enough for infection by the Botrytis fungus that causes blossom blight. The average temperatures were about 43 to 48F and the rain was only for about 24 hours. At 46F the fungus needs at least 36 hours of rain to cause moderate to high infection. There is a very low risk of less than 10% of the blossoms becoming infected with this last wet period, and this is NOT enough to cover the cost of fungicide applications.
Any dead blossoms you are currently seeing on your plants are caused by mummy berry disease, since this fungus can attack both leaf and flower buds.
For more information on Blossom blight caused by Botrytis please see Fact sheet # 212.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Estimated Water Budget May 20-26
As illustrated by the table below, the rain forecast for the next couple of days will help replenish soils that were beginning to dry. Tensiometer values in Deblois and Jonesboro were near -15 cb yesterday. We irrigate the sandy loam soils in our experimental plots at Blueberry Hill Farm when the tensiometer values there reach -20 cb, so we were getting close to a relatively early-season irrigation.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Estimated Water budget May 19-25
Month Day--Machias --Newport--Ellsworth--Waldoboro--Cherryfield
.....................ET...Rain--ET...Rain--ET..Rain---ET...Rain----ET...Rain
May 19----0.09..0.01---0.11...0---0.09...0-----0.09...0------0.11...0
May 20----0.10.....0----0.11....0---0.12...0-----0.10...0------0.12...0
May 21----0.13......0----0.14...0---0.14...0-----0.13....0------0.16...0
May 22----0.12.....0----0.12...0----0.15...0-----0.13....0-----0.15....0
May 23----0.09.....0----0.10...0---0.10...0-----0.08...0------0.11....0
May 24----0.10..0.01--0.12..0.04--0.12..0.09--0.10...0.16---0.13...0.02
May 25----0.10..0.01--0.10....0---0.11..0.02---0.10...0------0.112...0
sum------0.72..0.03--0.80..0.04--0.84..0.11---0.72...0.16---0.89...0.02
.....................ET...Rain--ET...Rain--ET..Rain---ET...Rain----ET...Rain
May 19----0.09..0.01---0.11...0---0.09...0-----0.09...0------0.11...0
May 20----0.10.....0----0.11....0---0.12...0-----0.10...0------0.12...0
May 21----0.13......0----0.14...0---0.14...0-----0.13....0------0.16...0
May 22----0.12.....0----0.12...0----0.15...0-----0.13....0-----0.15....0
May 23----0.09.....0----0.10...0---0.10...0-----0.08...0------0.11....0
May 24----0.10..0.01--0.12..0.04--0.12..0.09--0.10...0.16---0.13...0.02
May 25----0.10..0.01--0.10....0---0.11..0.02---0.10...0------0.112...0
sum------0.72..0.03--0.80..0.04--0.84..0.11---0.72...0.16---0.89...0.02
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Maine Wild Blueberry Irrigation Information
Hello everybody. Throughout the 2009 growing season, I will be posting estimates of wild blueberry daily water use (ET) and precipitation totals for 5 sites throughout Down East, Maine. The estimates of water use given below were calculated from weather data using the Penman-Montieth reference evapotranspiration equation, with the resulting values adjusted for wild blueberry. In all cases the values are given in inches of water per day or week. Because there was generally ample rain for the first two weeks of May, those values are given on a weekly basis for illustration purposes. From this point in the growing season on, values of ET and rain will be given for each day to allow growers the ability to monitor soil water deficits as they occur. This blog will be updated 2-3 times a week. It is important to realize that the ET values given here are estimates only, and that soil properties strongly influence soil water availability (see Wild Blueberry Fact Sheet 631 http://www.wildblueberries.maine.edu/PDF/Production/631.pdf).
Machias Newport Ellsworth Waldoboro Deblois
ET rain ET rain ET rain ET rain ET rain
WEEK OF:
May 1-7 0.45 0.34 0.58 1.14 0.56 1.28 0.50 1.33 0.60 0.56
May 8-14 0.58 1.01 0.68 0.91 0.69 0.88 0.57 0.78 0.71 0.58
DAILY
May 15 0.09 0.02 0.11 0 0.11 0.01 0.09 0.01 0.12 0.02
May 16 0.08 0 0.11 0 0.10 0 0.07 0.01 0.11 0
May 17 0.08 2.13 0.09 0.31 0.09 0.87 0.08 0.66 0.09 0.36
May 18 0.06 0.12 0.07 0 0.07 0 0.06 0 0.08 0.03
May 19 0.09 0.01 0.11 0 0.09 0 0.09 0 0.11 0
Tensiometers are being installed in fields near Cherryfield and Jonesboro today, and information from these instruments will be posted here on a biweekly basis as a means of supplementing the data above.
Machias Newport Ellsworth Waldoboro Deblois
ET rain ET rain ET rain ET rain ET rain
WEEK OF:
May 1-7 0.45 0.34 0.58 1.14 0.56 1.28 0.50 1.33 0.60 0.56
May 8-14 0.58 1.01 0.68 0.91 0.69 0.88 0.57 0.78 0.71 0.58
DAILY
May 15 0.09 0.02 0.11 0 0.11 0.01 0.09 0.01 0.12 0.02
May 16 0.08 0 0.11 0 0.10 0 0.07 0.01 0.11 0
May 17 0.08 2.13 0.09 0.31 0.09 0.87 0.08 0.66 0.09 0.36
May 18 0.06 0.12 0.07 0 0.07 0 0.06 0 0.08 0.03
May 19 0.09 0.01 0.11 0 0.09 0 0.09 0 0.11 0
Tensiometers are being installed in fields near Cherryfield and Jonesboro today, and information from these instruments will be posted here on a biweekly basis as a means of supplementing the data above.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Mummy berry forecast for Monday May 18th to Wednesday May 20th
Regions near Belfast
Mummy berry cups were still producing spores before the weekend. The cups were finished by Sunday in a wet field in Belfast. This indicates the cups are probably finished in fields near this area.
Hancock and Washington counties
Mummy berry cups were still producing spores over the weekend but are starting to die off in fields near Deblois, Cherryfield and Jonesboro. The cups will likely to be finished producing spores by Wednesday in these areas, unless you have a particularly cool or wet field.
The frost forecasted for Monday night would need to be accompanied by at least 12 and up to 24 hours of leaf wetness to cause infection, which is not predicted for Monday night .
The forecast is for no significant rainfall in the next two days so there is little chance of infection periods occuring during the next two days. Fog may still cause a infection period so check Factsheet #217 for chance of infection if fog does occur in your field in the next two days.
Remember you have 7 to 10 days of protection from your last fungicide application so your plants will still be protected if you have applied fungicide on Friday May 8th or after that date.
Plan on the putting a mummy berry patch in your field this August
The only way to be completely sure of when mummy berry cups are starting to produce spores and when they are finished in your field is to put out 2 to 3 mummy berry patches in your field. Local conditions in a field can vary so we suggest multiple patches to make sure one of them works and develops cups. The patches can be close to each other (within 10 ft). We have found that slight hollows that may be damp, but are not in the route of water run-off work well. Collect about 100 mummy berries before harvest, and choose two (or three) areas of slight hollows in a field that will be in crop next year. Clear the leaf litter from each area (2" by 2") and then put down about 1/2 the mummy berries and press them into the soil with your foot. Then add about 1/4" of soil and press down some more. Mark each spot with stakes on either side so you can find them in the spring.
Any questions contact Seanna Annis via the Blueberry Hotline (disease choice).
Mummy berry cups were still producing spores before the weekend. The cups were finished by Sunday in a wet field in Belfast. This indicates the cups are probably finished in fields near this area.
Hancock and Washington counties
Mummy berry cups were still producing spores over the weekend but are starting to die off in fields near Deblois, Cherryfield and Jonesboro. The cups will likely to be finished producing spores by Wednesday in these areas, unless you have a particularly cool or wet field.
The frost forecasted for Monday night would need to be accompanied by at least 12 and up to 24 hours of leaf wetness to cause infection, which is not predicted for Monday night .
The forecast is for no significant rainfall in the next two days so there is little chance of infection periods occuring during the next two days. Fog may still cause a infection period so check Factsheet #217 for chance of infection if fog does occur in your field in the next two days.
Remember you have 7 to 10 days of protection from your last fungicide application so your plants will still be protected if you have applied fungicide on Friday May 8th or after that date.
Plan on the putting a mummy berry patch in your field this August
The only way to be completely sure of when mummy berry cups are starting to produce spores and when they are finished in your field is to put out 2 to 3 mummy berry patches in your field. Local conditions in a field can vary so we suggest multiple patches to make sure one of them works and develops cups. The patches can be close to each other (within 10 ft). We have found that slight hollows that may be damp, but are not in the route of water run-off work well. Collect about 100 mummy berries before harvest, and choose two (or three) areas of slight hollows in a field that will be in crop next year. Clear the leaf litter from each area (2" by 2") and then put down about 1/2 the mummy berries and press them into the soil with your foot. Then add about 1/4" of soil and press down some more. Mark each spot with stakes on either side so you can find them in the spring.
Any questions contact Seanna Annis via the Blueberry Hotline (disease choice).
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Mummy berry forecast for Thursday May 14 to Friday May 15th
Regions near Belfast, in Waldo county, Hancock and Washington counties
Mummy berry cups are still producing spores in these areas. Unfurled leaf buds and flowers are still susceptible. All leaf and flower buds are still susceptible as long as the fungal spores are present.
There has not been an infection period in any of these areas since Sunday night.
However, there is likely to be an infection period on Thursday through Friday in most areas. With the warmer temperatures, the fungus needs less length of time with plant wetness to penetrate into the plants. The temperatures are predicted to be in the low 50s to the 40s overnight on Thursday. At 43 F the fungus needs at least 10 hours of plant wetness to get into the plant, and at 50 F, at least 8 hours of plant wetness.
If you have applied fungicide within the last 7 to 10 days (Tuesday May 5 through to Thursday May 14th), your plants will still be protected during the infection period Thursday night, so you do not need to apply fungicides.
If you applied fungicides before Tuesday May 5th your plants may get infected by the mummy berry fungus during Thursday night. You have 72 hours to apply fungicide after the beginning of the infection period (rain or fog) in your field to kill off any fungus that has penetrated your plants.
Factsheet #217 has more information about the mummy berry forecasting method and lengths of time of rain or fog and temperature to have infection periods.
Factsheet #219 contains this year's recommendations for using fungicides to control mummy berry disease.
Regions near Belfast, in Waldo county, Hancock and Washington counties
Mummy berry cups are still producing spores in these areas. Unfurled leaf buds and flowers are still susceptible. All leaf and flower buds are still susceptible as long as the fungal spores are present.
There has not been an infection period in any of these areas since Sunday night.
However, there is likely to be an infection period on Thursday through Friday in most areas. With the warmer temperatures, the fungus needs less length of time with plant wetness to penetrate into the plants. The temperatures are predicted to be in the low 50s to the 40s overnight on Thursday. At 43 F the fungus needs at least 10 hours of plant wetness to get into the plant, and at 50 F, at least 8 hours of plant wetness.
If you have applied fungicide within the last 7 to 10 days (Tuesday May 5 through to Thursday May 14th), your plants will still be protected during the infection period Thursday night, so you do not need to apply fungicides.
If you applied fungicides before Tuesday May 5th your plants may get infected by the mummy berry fungus during Thursday night. You have 72 hours to apply fungicide after the beginning of the infection period (rain or fog) in your field to kill off any fungus that has penetrated your plants.
Factsheet #217 has more information about the mummy berry forecasting method and lengths of time of rain or fog and temperature to have infection periods.
Factsheet #219 contains this year's recommendations for using fungicides to control mummy berry disease.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Mummyberry Forecast For Monday May 11 to Tuesday May 12th.
Lincoln and Knox counties
Mummy berry cups were still actively producing spores over the weekend. There were two infection periods, one on Saturday night and one on Sunday night. The cups appear to be drying up today (Monday). The fungus probably is finished producing spores in most of these areas unless you have a particularly cool or wet field.
Waldo, Hancock, Penobscot and Washington counties
Mummy berry cups are still actively producing spores in Waldo, Hancock, Penobscot, and Washington counties. There were infection periods over the weekend in these areas.
Your plants will have been protected over the weekend if you applied fungicide on Friday May 1st or after that. The recommended fungicides will protect plants for approximately 7 to 10 days after application.
If your last application of fungicide was before May 1st, then you have 72 hours from the start of the rain or fog on Saturday evening to apply fungicide and still control the fungus. For example, if it started raining on Saturday May 9th at 7pm in your field you have until Tuesday May 12th at 7pm to apply fungicide to control the disease.
There is currently forecasted a less than 50% chance of rain on Thursday and Thursday night, so there may not be any more infection periods this week due to rain, but fog in localized areas may still be a problem.
Whether there was an infection period depends upon the length of plant wetness caused by continuous rain and fog in your area and the temperature during the plant wetness. Please check the chart in Factsheet #217 at the Wild Blueberry extension site (http://wildblueberries.maine.edu) for more information on the chance of infection depending upon temperature and length of plant wetness.
Please check Factsheet #219 for current mummy berry control recommendations.
Lincoln and Knox counties
Mummy berry cups were still actively producing spores over the weekend. There were two infection periods, one on Saturday night and one on Sunday night. The cups appear to be drying up today (Monday). The fungus probably is finished producing spores in most of these areas unless you have a particularly cool or wet field.
Waldo, Hancock, Penobscot and Washington counties
Mummy berry cups are still actively producing spores in Waldo, Hancock, Penobscot, and Washington counties. There were infection periods over the weekend in these areas.
Your plants will have been protected over the weekend if you applied fungicide on Friday May 1st or after that. The recommended fungicides will protect plants for approximately 7 to 10 days after application.
If your last application of fungicide was before May 1st, then you have 72 hours from the start of the rain or fog on Saturday evening to apply fungicide and still control the fungus. For example, if it started raining on Saturday May 9th at 7pm in your field you have until Tuesday May 12th at 7pm to apply fungicide to control the disease.
There is currently forecasted a less than 50% chance of rain on Thursday and Thursday night, so there may not be any more infection periods this week due to rain, but fog in localized areas may still be a problem.
Whether there was an infection period depends upon the length of plant wetness caused by continuous rain and fog in your area and the temperature during the plant wetness. Please check the chart in Factsheet #217 at the Wild Blueberry extension site (http://wildblueberries.maine.edu) for more information on the chance of infection depending upon temperature and length of plant wetness.
Please check Factsheet #219 for current mummy berry control recommendations.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Mummyberry Forecast For Friday, May 8th through Sunday, May 10th.
Lincoln and Knox counties
Mummy berry cups are likely still actively producing spores particularly in northern portions of these counties and later (cooler or wetter) fields. As long as the fungus is producing spores, there is a risk of mummy berry fungus infection.
Waldo, Hancock, Penobscot and Washington counties
Mummy berry cups are actively producing spores in Waldo, Hancock, Penobscot, and Washington counties.
There have been a series of infection periods over the last 3 days. Your plants will be protected for approximately 7 to 10 days after you apply fungicide. So if you applied fungicide last week (Monday April 27 or after) your plants were probably still protected this past week (Monday May 4th through Friday May 8th).
There is rain forecasted for late Saturday through Sunday in most blueberry growing areas and if the temperature and length of rain forecasted occurs this will be another infection period for the fungus.
Remember you have 72 hours from the START of the rain/fog period to apply fungicide, if necessary, in your field.
Whether there was an infection period depends upon the length of plant wetness caused by continuous rain and fog in your area and the temperature during the plant wetness. Please check the chart in Factsheet #217 at the Wild Blueberry extension site (http://wildblueberries.maine.edu) for more information on the chance of infection depending upon temperature and length of plant wetness.
Please check Factsheet #219 for current mummy berry control recommendations.
Lincoln and Knox counties
Mummy berry cups are likely still actively producing spores particularly in northern portions of these counties and later (cooler or wetter) fields. As long as the fungus is producing spores, there is a risk of mummy berry fungus infection.
Waldo, Hancock, Penobscot and Washington counties
Mummy berry cups are actively producing spores in Waldo, Hancock, Penobscot, and Washington counties.
There have been a series of infection periods over the last 3 days. Your plants will be protected for approximately 7 to 10 days after you apply fungicide. So if you applied fungicide last week (Monday April 27 or after) your plants were probably still protected this past week (Monday May 4th through Friday May 8th).
There is rain forecasted for late Saturday through Sunday in most blueberry growing areas and if the temperature and length of rain forecasted occurs this will be another infection period for the fungus.
Remember you have 72 hours from the START of the rain/fog period to apply fungicide, if necessary, in your field.
Whether there was an infection period depends upon the length of plant wetness caused by continuous rain and fog in your area and the temperature during the plant wetness. Please check the chart in Factsheet #217 at the Wild Blueberry extension site (http://wildblueberries.maine.edu) for more information on the chance of infection depending upon temperature and length of plant wetness.
Please check Factsheet #219 for current mummy berry control recommendations.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Mummy berry forecast update Tuesday May 5th.
Mummy berry cups are still actively producing spores in the Union and Belfast areas, as well as most blueberry growing areas in Lincoln, Waldo, Hancock, Penobscot, and Washington counties.
Rain is forecasted for the next few days, so there will likely be another infection period in most blueberry growing areas.
Whether there was an infection period depends upon the length of plant wetness caused by continuous rain and fog in your area and the temperature during the plant wetness.
Please check the chart in Factsheet #217 at the Wild Blueberry extension site (http://wildblueberries.maine.edu) for more information on the chance of infection depending upon temperature and length of plant wetness.
IF you need to apply fungicide, remember it needs to be applied within 72 hours of the START of the rain/fog period in your field to control the fungus that got into the plants during this last infection period.
Please see Factsheet #219 Wild Blueberry extension site (http://wildblueberries.maine.edu) for recommended disease control methods.
Mummy berry cups are still actively producing spores in the Union and Belfast areas, as well as most blueberry growing areas in Lincoln, Waldo, Hancock, Penobscot, and Washington counties.
Rain is forecasted for the next few days, so there will likely be another infection period in most blueberry growing areas.
Whether there was an infection period depends upon the length of plant wetness caused by continuous rain and fog in your area and the temperature during the plant wetness.
Please check the chart in Factsheet #217 at the Wild Blueberry extension site (http://wildblueberries.maine.edu) for more information on the chance of infection depending upon temperature and length of plant wetness.
IF you need to apply fungicide, remember it needs to be applied within 72 hours of the START of the rain/fog period in your field to control the fungus that got into the plants during this last infection period.
Please see Factsheet #219 Wild Blueberry extension site (http://wildblueberries.maine.edu) for recommended disease control methods.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Mummy berry forecast update Sunday May 3rd.
Mummy berry cups are likely still actively producing spores in most blueberry growing areas in Lincoln, Waldo, Hancock, Penobscot, and Washington counties.
With the rain over Friday and Saturday, there was likely an infection period in most blueberry growing areas.
Whether there was an infection period depends upon the length of plant wetness caused by continuous rain and fog in your area and the temperature during the plant wetness.
Please check the chart in Factsheet #217 at the Wild Blueberry extension site (http://wildblueberries.maine.edu) for more information on the chance of infection depending upon temperature and length of plant wetness.
If you applied fungicide approximately 7 to 10 days before (anytime from Thursday April 23rd to Friday May 1st) then your plants are STILL protected and you do NOT need to reapply fungicide for control of this last infection period.
IF you need to apply fungicide, remember it needs to be applied within 72 hours of the START of the rain/fog period in your field to control the fungus that got into the plants during this last infection period.
Please see Factsheet #219 Wild Blueberry extension site (http://wildblueberries.maine.edu) for recommended disease control methods.
Mummy berry cups are likely still actively producing spores in most blueberry growing areas in Lincoln, Waldo, Hancock, Penobscot, and Washington counties.
With the rain over Friday and Saturday, there was likely an infection period in most blueberry growing areas.
Whether there was an infection period depends upon the length of plant wetness caused by continuous rain and fog in your area and the temperature during the plant wetness.
Please check the chart in Factsheet #217 at the Wild Blueberry extension site (http://wildblueberries.maine.edu) for more information on the chance of infection depending upon temperature and length of plant wetness.
If you applied fungicide approximately 7 to 10 days before (anytime from Thursday April 23rd to Friday May 1st) then your plants are STILL protected and you do NOT need to reapply fungicide for control of this last infection period.
IF you need to apply fungicide, remember it needs to be applied within 72 hours of the START of the rain/fog period in your field to control the fungus that got into the plants during this last infection period.
Please see Factsheet #219 Wild Blueberry extension site (http://wildblueberries.maine.edu) for recommended disease control methods.
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