Hi everyone,
I hope you were able to take advantage of the recent stretch of suitable
spraying weather to complete urgent applications, including pre-emergence
herbicides in sprout fields and blight protection sprays in crop fields. Warm
temperatures over the long weekend have accelerated wild blueberry plant
development, and we are now transitioning into a new crop-management period.
Both sprout and crop fields are showing rapid progression in growth stages.
In sprout fields, management attention will increasingly shift once plant
emergence exceeds higher emergence percentages. Following this past Sunday, the
application of “hot” pre-emergence herbicides is no longer considered safe due
to increased risk of crop injury. Growers are encouraged to carefully scout
fields and evaluate emergence levels before deciding whether additional
herbicide applications are appropriate. For post-emergence herbicides such as
Callisto and Venture L, applications remain slightly premature. Current
forecasts suggest mid-summer–like conditions this week, with hot and dry
weather expected, which may further influence herbicide timing decisions.
Most discussions this week are centred on crop fields. Many of you have been
actively scouting and observing varying pictures of crop potential across
fields. At this stage, estimating yield remains challenging. However, rapid bud
development has advanced many fields to the F3–F5 stages (Figure 1).
With continued warm weather over the next few days and drier conditions ahead,
the risk of additional Monilinia blight (mummy berry) primary infection
appears low. Once plants progress beyond the pink and white prebloom stage
(F5), primary infection from ascospores is no longer a concern. Based on
current conditions, it appears that one Monilinia blight spray may be
sufficient for many crop fields this season.
The next major milestone to watch is bloom development, which will provide a
clearer indication of crop potential and yield outlook.
We will continue monitoring crop development across the province and greatly
appreciate growers sharing field observations. These reports help improve our
understanding of plant responses following the 2025 drought and support better
management recommendations moving forward.
Lastly, a reminder that the next virtual wild blueberry grower meeting
will take place tomorrow morning (May 20, 8:30–9:30 AM). This special
session will feature two guest speakers discussing:
·
Future blueberry field improvement practices
(mulching)
·
Nutrient management strategies for wild
blueberry production
To register, please visit:
Wild Blueberries Virtual Grower Meetings 2026 Registration
If you need assistance, please get in touch with Hugh Lyu at 902-890-0472
or hlyu@perennia.ca.
At the end of this blog post, you will also find a survey supporting
Dalhousie Agricultural Campus research students studying farm equipment
sanitation practices in Atlantic Canada. Your participation is greatly
appreciated.
Have a great week — and welcome to summer!
Hugh
Figure 1. Wild Blueberry Crop Year
Leaf and Fruit Bud Stages
Wild Blueberry Weather Station GDDs and Crop F2 Stage Updates
Table 1. Percentage of Wild Blueberry Floral
Bud F2 stage
light green (0-20% F2), dark green (20-30% F2), yellow
(30-40% F2) and red (40-100% F2)
|
Wild blueberry production regions, NS |
The average percentage of floral buds at
F2 |
|
|
|
|
Cape Breton |
>40% F2, Blight Spray is Needed in Crop Fields |
|
|
|
|
Cumberland County |
>40% F2, Blight Spray is Needed in Crop Fields |
|
|
|
|
Colchester County |
>40% F2, Blight Spray is Needed in Crop Fields |
|
|
|
|
South West Nova Scotia |
>40% F2, Blight Spray is Needed in Crop Fields |
|
|
|
|
Hants County |
>40% F2, Blight Spray is Needed in Crop Fields |
|
|
|
|
Halifax County/ Musquodoboit Valley |
>40% F2, Blight Spray is Needed in Crop Fields |
|
|
|
|
Guysborough County |
>40% F2, Blight Spray is Needed in Crop Fields |
|
|
|
|
Pictou County |
>40% F2, Blight Spray is Needed in Crop Fields |
|
|
|
|
Antigonish County |
>40% F2, Blight Spray is Needed in Crop Fields |
