College of Agriculture & Natural Resources

• West Michigan tree fruit regional report – May 10, 2016

  Published on May 10, 2016
  Apples are in full bloom and growers need to consider some diseases.

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  Grand Rapids area tree fruit update – June 18, 2019

  Published on June 18, 2019
  June drop in apples should appear with warmer weather.

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  MSU Extension welcomes new tree fruit specialist for southwest Michigan

  Published on November 24, 2025
  Dan Dick, M.Sc., started working with Michigan State University Extension in November 2025.

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  Northwest Michigan fruit update – May 7, 2024

  Published on May 7, 2024
  Tart cherries are in full bloom and sweets are starting to drop their petals. Gala are at 15% bloom and Honeycrisp are at king bloom. We have had excellent pollination weather for the last three days and black stem borer is in peak flight.

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  Early season reminders for key application timings of dormant and delayed-dormant fruit sprays

  Published on April 3, 2024
  Phenological stages are likely to move quickly when weather warms up this spring.

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  Grand Rapids area tree fruit update – May 7, 2024

  Published on May 7, 2024
  Petals are falling and sprayers are running this week on the Ridge.

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  Southwest Michigan fruit update – May 7, 2024 

  Published on May 7, 2024
  Bloom is finishing up in many of the major crops.

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  West central Michigan tree fruit update – May 14, 2024

  Published on May 14, 2024
  Sweet cherry fruitlets are out of the shuck. Apple tree bloom is lingering across the region.

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  Do you need to worry about early spring freezes?

  Published on April 4, 2016
  Cold, windy, snowy weather shouldn’t concern fruit growers as much as calm, clear nights.

• West Michigan tree fruit update – April 17, 2018

  Published on April 17, 2018
  Winter is still in place—are we in a mini ice age?

• Grand Rapids area tree fruit update – Aug. 20, 2019

  Published on August 20, 2019
  Late summer pest considerations.

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  New farm manager named at MSU Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center

  Published on October 2, 2023
  Michael de Schaaf has been named farm manager effective Oct. 1.

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  Southwest Michigan fruit update – May 30, 2023

  Published on May 30, 2023
  Tree fruit thinning is continuing. Fruit set is looking good for all fruit crops in the region.

• West Michigan tree fruit update – May 15, 2018

  Published on May 15, 2018
  Tree fruits are all abloom this week.

• Grand Rapids area tree fruit update – May 28, 2019

  Published on May 28, 2019
  Apple bloom is coming to an end.

• West central Michigan tree fruit regional report – July 14, 2015

  Published on July 14, 2015
  Sweet cherry harvest is well underway in west central Michigan.

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  Suspect herbicide resistance? Submit weed seeds for screening

  Published on October 1, 2025
  October is the prime time to collect and submit weed seeds for herbicide resistance screening.

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  Southwest Michigan fruit update – May 21, 2024

  Published on May 21, 2024
  Warm weather is increasing insect activity in area fruit plantings.

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  West central Michigan tree fruit update – June 25, 2024

  Published on June 25, 2024
  Sweet cherry harvest has begun for early varieties. Tart cherry growers are preparing for harvest as early as next week.

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  Southwest Michigan fruit regional report – August 19, 2014

  Published on August 19, 2014
  Blueberry, peach, plum and raspberry harvest continues while pear harvest has begun. Soils are very dry in southwest Michigan.