In May of 2001, a frost affected northern Van Buren and southern Allegan counties and caused severe damage is some blueberry fields. These photos of freeze damaged fruit were taken on June 11, 2001, near Grand Junction.

Frozen fruitlets had a dark shrunken appearance and were easily detected in the field. When cut open these severely affected fruit were almost hollow. Some seeds were killed. Seed cavities or locules that had frozen dried out. The fruit was easily recognizable from the outside and by harvest would separate from sound berries with the trash as the fruit past over air blowers that carry leaves, twigs and other debris away from the heavier fruit.

Lightly damaged fruit showed no damage externally and only slight browning of the interior.  It would be almost impossible to detect this damge at harvest when the fruit is delicious.

Similar frosts on June 4, 5 and 6 in 1998 caused similar damage. Blueberries were the hardest hit crop, severely damaged fruit  dropped but some damaged fruit remained on the bush through harvest. This picture was taken in late June of 1998 and shows the condition of that fruit at harvest. It was almost impossible to detect damage without cutting the fruit in half.