Pre-Harvest Blueberry Meetings scheduled for June 20 and 27

Grower updates before harvest will allow a smooth integration of harvest, pest control and irrigation needs.

''A pair of Pre-Harvest Blueberry Meetings are scheduled for June 20 and 27 in Van Buren and Ottawa counties. The meetings will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. These meetings are open to all blueberry growers and others interested in blueberry pest control and production. They will feature updates from Michigan State University Extension blueberry specialists and educators on scouting, irrigation and insect disease and weed control.

The Van Buren County meeting on Thursday, June 20, will be hosted by MBG Marketing in their meeting room. MBG Marketing’s office is located at O4726 CR 215, Grand Junction, MI 49056 (view map). MBG asks that you use the parking area south of their building and north of their variety planting for parking and enter the building through the entrance on the south side of the building. The tentative topics for the meeting include:

  • Scouting for insect fruit damage in blueberries during harvest
  • Preharvest and harvest insect control in blueberries
  • Spotted winged drosophila (SWD) update
  • Mid-summer weed control in blueberries
  • Irrigating blueberries
  • Disease control in blueberries before and during harvest

The site of the Ottawa County meeting on Thursday, June 27, will be announced later.

These meetings have been approved for 2 RUP credits for growers wishing to update their MDARD pesticide applicator certifications.

There is no charge for these meetings, but please RSVP to Mark Longstroth at longstr7@msu.edu or the Van Buren County MSU Extension office at 269-657-8213.

Photo credit: Mark Longstroth, MSU Extension

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