Now is the time to put out Mummy Berry Plots for next year

The mummy berries are easy to find at this time, but as their outer white coat comes off they will become very difficult to find. If you have any questions please contact me via email or on the blueberry hotline number.

Seanna Annis

How to put out Mummy berry plots (Approx. time 15-20 minutes to collect mummies, 10 min. to place out plots)

1. Collect about 150 mummy berries (50 for each mummy berry plot) from your field(s) (or from the process line or winnowing if you have them). They will be whitish grey and smaller than the berries and will have dropped onto the surface of the leaf litter, or may still be in clusters of unraked berries on stems. Often clones produce different amount of mummy berries, so if there are no mummy berries in one spot, try another area in your field. Often there are more mummy berries at the edges of fields.

2. In a 2011 crop field, choose 3 areas within your blueberry field. Each area should be about 3” by 3” that is clear of stems but amongst the plants. Choose areas that will be easy for you to access next spring. These areas do not need to be widely spread around the field, 5 to 10 ft between each one will be fine, unless you have very different conditions in your field. If you have different exposures, soil types or large shaded areas in your field you may want to place your mummy berry plots in these different areas to get the full range of when the mummy berries develop. The areas should not be on slopes where they will be washed away, in hollows where they will be water-logged or in areas with lots of frost-heaves.

3. In each chosen 3" by 3" area, clear off the leaf litter to one side and a small amount of soil. Place about 50 mummy berries on the surface of the soil and press the mummy berries firmly into the soil (with your fingers or step on them). Then put a small amount of dirt (1/4”) on top and press them firmly down again. Replace the leaf litter over the mummy berries to provide protection over the winter.

4. VERY IMPORTANT: STAKE or flag the plots on either side so you can locate them in the spring.