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This Month in Florida Blueberries December 2024

Blueberry Management

The table below lists suggested blueberry management items for December. Suggested management items for the entire calendar year are available in an EDIS publication, Calendar for Southern Highbush Blueberry Management in Florida (https://edis.ifas.u.edu/publication/HS1363). Specic disease, insect, and weed controls are listed in the 2024 Florida Blueberry IPM Guide (https://edis.ifas.u.edu/publication/HS380), as well as in subject-specic publications referenced below. Also, a list of all UF EDIS blueberry publications can be found at www.blueberrybreeding.com/blog, along with a summary description and link to each. Remember to take a look at the UF/IFAS Blueberry Growers Guide phone app (available in both English and Spanish) for eld scouting tools, as well as information on all of the UF southern highbush blueberry cultivars (https://tosto.re/blueberryuf).

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This Month in Florida Blueberries

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Reading the Leaves

Healthy Leaves in Fall Are Important for Flower Bud Initiation and Development 

 

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See You at the Fall Meeting!

Florida is a large multi-climate state so our widely dispersed Blueberry growers experience quite different growing conditions. One should not generalize how any single farm’s growing season progressed to that of most other farms. However, at Frogmore, our operation in Central Florida, it’s been a bit of a tough growing season so far. June started out hot and dry and stayed that way on into July. To keep our initial leaf flushes going, we had to employ extraordinary effort to protect tender leaves and stay on schedule. Then the rains came with only sporadic respite up till now in mid-September. We have rich soils undergirded by impervious clay, so although it grows berries well, it stays wet with ponding water that retreats ever so slowly. In seasons like this I envy the growers whose sandy soil seems to suck excess water away in a day or two. 

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Fall Colors on the Farm

Changes in Leaves Offer Insight Into Plant Health, Fruit Quality 

 

It seems like the heat is finally starting to break. Cooler temperatures and shorter days are here, and they will change the way plants look. The lime green leaves of summer will turn darker green and even red in the fall and winter. Leaf color is a good indicator of leaf age and function. But blueberry plants always pack surprises. Here we summarize some of the main takeaways from our research at the beginning and the end of a leaf life cycle.

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New Cultivars to Be Available From UF/IFAS October 1


The UF/IFAS Blueberry Breeding program previously announced the upcoming release of two new southern highbush blueberry cultivars — Falcon and FL19-006. These new cultivars will be 

available to Florida commercial blueberry growers beginning October 1 at the Florida nurseries that have licensed them for propagation and sale. Both of these cultivars were selected for the evergreen production system and are high yielding, early season varieties with large, firm, flavorful fruit. More detailed information is available at https://www.blueberrybreeding.com/varieties and in the UF/IFAS Blueberry Growers Guide app.

Hall of Fame Banquet

Wednesday, Oct. 23
Bonnet Springs Park, Lakeland
Reception: 6 p.m. / Dinner 7 p.m.

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Hurricanes Pose a Substantial Threat to Florida Blueberries

As I write this, all eyes are glued to the weather forecasts as Tropical Storm (soon to be Hurricane) Helene forms. Like most storms that make their way through the Gulf of Mexico, her path is not set in stone. But then again, that’s something those of us in agriculture know about all too well: Very little is set in stone, and how we fare is measured by how we adapt.

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Blueberry Gall Midge a Burden In Your Field?

Check Out the Latest in Prevention and Management Practices

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Fall and Early Winter Suggested Blueberry Management Items

The table below lists suggested blueberry management items for October – January. Suggested management items for the entire calendar year are available in an EDIS publication, Calendar for Southern Highbush Blueberry Management in Florida (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1363). Specific disease, insect, and weed controls are listed in the 2024 Florida Blueberry IPM Guide (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS380), as well as in subject-specific publications referenced below. Also, a list of all UF EDIS blueberry publications can be found at www.blueberrybreeding.com/blog, along with a summary description and link to each.

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USHBC Update

National Blueberry Month Success

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Cross-Pollination Plays a Crucial Role in Optimal Yields

Cross and Self-Pollination in Blueberries

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Are You Ready for the Freeze?

Virtually all blueberry fields in Florida are subject to late winter or early spring freezes, which can cause serious reductions in yield. This is a list of activities for freeze preparation. The list was originally published by Mike Mainland in the North Carolina Blueberry News, Vol. 7, No. 1and has been modified by IFAS faculty and FBGA board members. 

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Blueberry Management August

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Blueberry Management July

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Suggested Blueberry Management Items for Summer and Early Fall Months

The table below lists suggested blueberry management items for July - September. Suggested management items for the entire calendar year are available in an EDIS publication, Calendar for Southern Highbush Blueberry Management in Florida (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1363). Specific disease, insect, and weed controls are listed in the 2022 Florida Blueberry IPM Guide (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS380), as well as in subject-specific publications referenced below. Also, a list of all UF EDIS blueberry publications can be found at www.blueberrybreeding.com/blog, along with a summary description and link to each.

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A Season of Highs and Lows

Growers Report High Yields but Steep Price Drop

The 2024 Florida blueberry season was marked by two factors — strong yield and late-season price drop. We spoke with growers around the state to put our finger on the pulse of the Florida blueberry industry. 

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Summer Siege

Management Tactics for Chilli Thrips, Diaprepes, and Flea Beetle

Chilli Thrips

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Summertime Blues

Don’t Be Defeated by These Common Diseases

Managing Summer Blueberry Diseases

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Weathering the Storm

Hurricane Season Planning Tips From the Pros

We are now officially in another hurricane season, and it’s a good time to think about how to prepare your farm for a possible major storm. Florida has been impacted by nine hurricanes since 2000. As of this article’s writing, Hurricane Ian was the most recent major storm to affect the state (September 2022). It made landfall in southwest Florida as a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 150 mph and accumulated rainfall of up to 20 inches, with estimated losses of more than $1 billion. 

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