College of Agriculture & Natural Resources

• East Michigan fruit update – Sept. 4, 2018

  Published on September 4, 2018
  Most areas received ample rains over the last two weeks, bringing seasonal totals back to normal to above normal levels. Drought continues for a few growers, mainly in the southern reaches of the region.

• East Michigan fruit update – July 10, 2018

  Published on July 10, 2018
  We have had unusually high apple maggot trap catch in the last week. Dry soils are common across the region, causing wilting in all fruit crops.

• East Michigan fruit update – April 16, 2019

  Published on April 16, 2019
  With cold nighttime temperatures over the last week, fruit growth and development has been slow.

• East Michigan fruit update – July 23, 2019

  Published on July 23, 2019
  Spotted wing Drosophila trap catch numbers have taken a big jump this week. Tart cherries, summer red and fall raspberries and blueberries need to be protected.

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  East Michigan fruit update – June 4, 2019

  Published on June 4, 2019
  Strong thunderstorms on Saturday afternoon brought scattered hail across the region, along with another batch of heavy rains. Early thinning sprays in apples are working well.

• East Michigan fruit update – May 12, 2020

  Published on May 12, 2020
  Cold temperatures on Friday night and Saturday morning caused more damage to flower buds on many fruit crops. This damage is in addition to damage from cold temperatures on April 22.

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  East Michigan fruit update – Sept. 16, 2020

  Published on September 16, 2020
  Apple harvest is in full swing. Gala harvest is nearly complete with Honeycrisp and McIntosh harvest continuing. More rains have finally come to the region over the last two weeks.

• East Michigan fruit update – July 16, 2019

  Published on July 16, 2019
  Soils remain dry across most of the region. Harvest continues for many fruit crops. A few blueberry farms have opened for picking and several farms are starting to pick a few of the bud berries on fall red raspberries.

• East Michigan fruit update – April 28, 2020

  Published on April 28, 2020
  Fruit growth stages have been at a standstill due to cold temperatures. Another round of recent freezing temperatures resulted in more flower bud damage in sweet and tart cherries and a few other fruit crops.

• East Michigan fruit update – April 7, 2020

  Published on April 7, 2020
  With warmer temperatures over the last week, green tissue is starting to be seen on a few fruit crops. Dry soils have allowed some planting to begin.

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  East Michigan fruit update – Aug. 18, 2020

  Published on August 18, 2020
  Brown marmorated stink bugs are being found in apples and peaches over the past week, with some feeding damage seen in apples.

• East Michigan fruit update – May 26, 2020

  Published on May 26, 2020
  With warmer temperatures of the last week, fruit crops have taken on big swell of new growth. Bloom is almost finished for all of our fruit crops.

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  East Michigan fruit update – June 25, 2019

  Published on June 25, 2019
  The region is finally starting to dry out, even though many east Michigan growers saw another inch of precipitation in the last week. Strawberry harvest continues across the region with saskatoon and sweet cherry harvest to follow in the next week or so.

• East Michigan fruit update – Aug. 21, 2018

  Published on August 21, 2018
  Harvest of early fall apple varieties continues. The entire region has had extremely variable rainfall, with drought continuing for a good number of growers.

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  East Michigan fruit update – May 19, 2020

  Published on May 19, 2020
  The region experienced another major freeze event resulting in additional damage to flower buds in most tree fruits. Substantial rains brought two heavy apple scab infection periods and very wet soils. There are many black blossoms in strawberry fields.

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  East Michigan fruit update – Aug. 25, 2020

  Published on August 25, 2020
  Brown marmorated stink bug feeding damage in apples is more common this week. Peach and blueberry harvest are nearing an end. Summer apple, blackberry and fall red raspberry harvest continues.

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  East Michigan fruit update – April 2, 2019

  Published on April 2, 2019
  Cold temperatures continue to hold the start of spring growth of fruit crops in east Michigan.

• East Michigan fruit update – Sept. 2, 2020

  Published on September 2, 2020
  Much needed rain moved over the region in the past week. Apple harvest for fall varieties has started. Brown marmorated stink bug feeding damage in apples is more common.

• East Michigan fruit update – July 21, 2020

  Published on July 21, 2020
  Two precipitation events moved over the region in the past week, bringing some much-needed relief to drought. Summer red and black raspberry and blueberry harvest continues.

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  East Michigan fruit update – April 30, 2019

  Published on April 30, 2019
  Colder temperatures over the last week have dramatically slowed fruit growth.