BLUEfOCUS nEWSLETTER- aPRIL 2023
BLUE
FOCUS NEWSLETTER- April 2023
(Perennia’s
Wild Blueberry Production Newsletter)
Dear Growers,
Here comes the 2023 season! We had a relatively mild
winter with below-average snowfall in many areas and temperatures were near and
above normal in Nova Scotia. The April forecast for the Atlantic region is
above normal temperature. We are expecting another early spring in 2022 which
means plant development speeds up.
Thank you for your ongoing support!
Hugh Lyu
Wild Blueberry Specialist, Perennia
hlyu@perennia.ca; 902-890-0472.
April 13, 2023
Table of Contents:
Nova Scotia Winter Updates and April Forecast
Current Season GDD Update (As of April 13)
Important Updates: Wild Blueberry Blog, Weather Stations, GDD
etc.
Perennia’s New Farm Data Tools Platform
Useful/New Resources to Highlight
Upcoming Events
Nova Scotia Winter Updates and April Forecast
Winter conditions
According to the national
agroclimatic risk report, the winter was relatively mild with below-average
snowfall in many areas. Some areas of the region reported a record-breaking
lack of snowfall. Temperatures were near and above normal in Nova Scotia over
winter.
During the cold snap on February 4th, our
weather stations recorded some of the lowest of the min wind chill in Cumberland
weather stations (Figure 1). Therefore, my very first few field visits were in
this area. Luckily, we didn’t see much winter damage (more details see below
section).
Figure
1. Min Wind Chill – Feb. 4, 2023 (click on the photo to get a bigger
view)
Winter Damage- crop
field
As I mentioned above, I visited fields from
Southampton to Halfway River, then visited fields around Kirkhill, York
Settlement, Canaan Mt. etc., and the winter damage level was low.
End of March, I collected stems from Upper Rawdon,
Debert and around the Turro area, all stems looked healthy and some of them
already have blooms. (Figure 2).
Figure
2. Overwinter stems from Upper Rawdon
Overwinter Beehive
Health
According to my conversation with a few beekeepers and
government staff, our beehive winter losses were low this year. I heard winter losses
ranged from 5%- 14%. This is certainly exciting and promising news!
April forecast
The April forecast for the Atlantic region is that
temperatures are expected to be above normal. We already experienced some nice spring
days and it is looking like the next two weeks will bring some warm days. Based
on the current forcest for the next 14 days, we are looking at gaining 8-10 GDD
each day. It is looking like we will get another early spring.
Current Season GDD Update (As of April 13)
This year,
I will report 12 stations from wild blueberry fields to meet the research and
extension needs. There are three ways I recommended if none of the stations I
report meet your needs.
On April
13, 2023, this is the information from 12 stations and we are looking at an average
of 37 GDD from those 12 stations.
Figure 3. GDD Summary from 12 Stations- April 13, 2023.
Last year,
I also reported the GDD summary on the same date (April 13, 2022, Figure 4). Even
though we are expecting an early spring, we are a little behind compared to last
year just by looking at those numbers.
I always
use West Caledonia station to give an idea of seasonal development. The GDDs from
this station were 53.5 in 2023 and 75 in 2022.
Perennia’s New Farm Data Tools Platform
Perennia
is excited to release its Farm Data Tools Platform and it offers a lot of great
potential for future farm tool development. As for now, this platform offers a
“Farm Weather Map” which includes all 100 weather stations under the weather
station assistance program. The weather map shows the current weather
information from the station and a “Growing Degree Days Calculator” to obtain
GDDs for each station.
Below, I
will share resources to set up your account (FREE!) and use the GDD calculator
under the farm weather map. If you have any trouble, please let me know.
Steps:
1. Perennia’s Farm Weather Tools Platform: https://farmdatatools.ca/. This is the home page for this platform.
2. Please quickly read the farm weather map page before you set up your account: https://farmdatatools.ca/services/farm-weather-map/.
3. Under step 2’s link, you will see resources about GDD and two very useful resources to help you set up and access the map and the GDD calculator:
- Farm Weather Map video tutorial: https://farmdatatools.ca/services/farm-weather-map/.
- Farm Weather Map Quickstart guide: https://farmdatatools.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/04/Quickstart-farm-weather-GDD.pdf.
Important Updates: Wild Blueberry Blog, Weather Stations, GDD
and Farm Data Tools Platform
As we are heading
into a new season, I want to bring up some important updates we did over the
winter.
Perennia’s Wild Blueberry Blog: the blog is ready to serve you
for a new season! Please take a look and find useful tools and resources to achieve
another successful production season.
-
Weather:
a.
Nova
Scotia Wild Blueberry Weather Station Sites: This map includes all 55 stations
in wild blueberry fields. When you click on each station, you will see the
station’s detailed information and a live data link to obtain more weather
data.
b.
Nova
Scotia Wild Blueberry Field Soil Temperatures: This map includes 43 weather
stations which come with soil temperature probes. If you want to check the
station’s soil temperature (if available), you need to go to the live data
link.
c.
55
stations live weather data: all 55 stations listed by counties show live
weather data.
-
GDD&
Phenology Tracker:
a.
Wild
Blueberry GDD tracker: all GDD thresholds are up to date.
b.
How
to obtain GDDs: under this, you will find three methods I listed to obtain
GDDs.
Method 1: Perennia’s new Farm Data Tools
(farmdatatools.ca). Please see the “Farm Data Tools Platform” section for more details.
Method 2: Check the GDD& Phenology
Tracker under Perennia’s Wild Blueberry Blog. Each season, Perennia’s Wild
Blueberry will select some weather stations to monitor seasonal wild blueberry
plant development in Nova Scotia. The criteria to pick what stations to report
is based on research and extension needs.
Method 3: Using a GDD calculator sheet.
This sheet can be used for any station if you can access the station’s daily
temperatures. To download a copy, please go to: https://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Wild-Blueberry-GDD-calculator_Perennia.xlsx.
c.
%
of Wild Blueberry Fruit Bud F2 Stage Tracker: we will continue to report % of
F2 from different fields and regions. Please check this information pre-monilinia
season. We will update this information as we receive Infomation from fields.
-
Blight
Line& Alerts and Newsletter:
you will continue to receive blog posts regularly. Please subscribe to our blog
so you don’t miss any important posts.
Useful/New Resources to Highlight
2023 Nova Scotia Guide to Pest Management in Wild
Blueberry: https://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Wild-Blueberry-Management-2023.pdf.
Nova Scotia Wild Blueberry Crop Development
Schedule (with GDDs) and Management
Recommendations: https://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Nova-Scotia-Wild-Blueberry-Crop-Development-Schedule-and-Mgmt-Recommendations-Feb-2023.pdf.
Perennia’s new Farm Data Tools: Under this platform, growers can
view weather stations near their farms and calculate GDDs: https://farmdatatools.ca/.
GDD Calculator Excel Sheet: https://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Wild-Blueberry-GDD-calculator_Perennia.xlsx.
Upcoming Events
Pesticide
License Pre-Exam Courses by Marbicon
The next series of in-person courses from Marbicon Inc
(Jim Jotcham) has been announced. Pre-exam courses (with 5.0 points available
T2237).
April 14 - Berwick Legion in Berwick
April 20 - Newcombville Fire Hall in Newcombville,
Lunenburg Co.
May 5 - Truro Horsemen’s Club in Bible Hill
More courses are expected in May.
Email/call Jim ( marbicon@eastlink.ca ) or
902-538-7101 to pre-register. More courses can be set up upon demand. Contact
Jim if you’d like a course nearer to you and/or at a more convenient date.
Pre-exam courses are $125 including HST. People sitting in for 5.0
recertification points for T2237 only pay $110 including HST. Cash or cheque or
e-Transfer. Doors open at 8:30 am. Food & drink on your own. A course
manual is provided.
2023 Twilight
Meetings:
waiting for information from WBPANS.
2023 WBPANS
Field Day (Save the Date!):
When: Tuesday, July 18, 2023
WBPANS’ Annual Field Day will be held in Caledonia, NS
this year at the Queen's County Exhibition Grounds. The tour will include Van
Dyk's Wild Blueberry Juice Plant and local wild blueberry fields.
A block of rooms has been set aside at the Best
Western Hotel in Bridgewater at a reduced rate of $199.99 plus taxes which also
includes a hot breakfast buffet. These rooms and rates are available until June
30th so be sure to book early! To get the reduced rate, make sure to tell them
you are with the NS Wild Blueberry group!
Please contact the hotel directly for reservations at
902-530-0101 or book online at:
Best Western Bridgewater Reservations.
There are also many other accommodations in the area.
Check out the listing and book early. Accommodations near Caledonia. Stay tuned
for more details!