S M A L L F R U I T U PD A TE | W EEK 3 7 |  

S E PTEMBER 9, 2 0 2 1

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INDUSTRY RESOURCES

GROWER RESOURCES

INDUSTRY NEWS

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Small Fruit Update is

produced once a week
during the growing
season and bimonthly
outside the growing
season (Oct - Feb)

Blueberry Pollination Survey

The survey is part of a USDA NIFA-funded project to improve blueberry pollination. Though this survey, we are trying to
get a better picture of pollination practices. Whether a grower has 1 or 1000 acres, having their input is important.
Furthermore, respondents from each state will be entered in a raffle to win a $50 gift certificate.

COMPLETE SURVEY
 Nutrient Management
Soil Testing
All crops: Pre-planting soil testing is critical.
Adjusting soil pH & incorporating nutrients (like
potassium and phosphorus) that don’t move
readily from surface applications should happen
before planting.
Strawberries: For annual/short term crops like
strawberries, soil testing is usually the only
method used for adjusting nutrient programs.
After renovation is recommended for multi-year
plantings.
Soil testing to diagnose problems: Most useful
when combined with in-field observations,
results of annual leaf tissue sampling, and a
history of a fertility program and other soil/tissue
tests.
Seasonal timing: Fall or spring is common, but
it’s very important to be consistent! There can be
big differences if you test in the spring in one
year and fall in the another. Don’t test in spring
after any fertilization. •
Location of sampling: Between the dripline and
base of the plants & enough to be representative
of the entire field. Move any mulch aside before
collecting a soil sample.
For a concise explanation of the how to take and
how to interpret soil and tissue sampling, use
this six page guide: Nutrient Management of
Berry Crops in Oregon (2013)
Nutrition Resources for Berry Growers
Strawberry Nutrient Management Guide
Oregon and Washington (May, 2019/Oregon
State University)
Nutrient Management for Blueberries in
Oregon (Published: Nov. 2006; Reviewed:
June, 2016/Oregon State University)
Caneberries Nutrient Management Guide
(Published: Jan. 2006; Reviewed: July,
2016/Oregon State University)
NWBERRYFOUNDATION.ORG
RECOMMENDED TIMING & FREQUENCY OF
TESTING
Soil Sampling
Always before planting.
For analyzing problem situations.
Only every few years for maintenance checks. Not
needed every year.
Tissue Sampling
Every year at the same time –for blueberries and
floricane raspberries and blackberries this is the last
week in July through the first week in August.
For analyzing problem situations—take samples from
both healthy and unhealthy areas of the field for
comparing.
RECOMMENDED PROTOCOLS/ COMMENTS FOR
TISSUE TESTING
Blueberries-- Collect the most recent, fully-expanded
leaf with the petiole attached (leaf stem) only from
shoots below where fruit is/was located.
Raspberries & Blackberries-- Collect the most recent,
fully-expanded leaf with the petiole attached (leaf
stem) only from the primocanes-- about 12 inches
from the tip.
Cultivars should be sampled separately, as should
any problem areas in the field.
If they are covered with dust, rinse them briefly and
let them air dry; otherwise do not wash.
All blueberry and floricane fruiting caneberry
cultivars, regardless of ripening time, should be
sampled in the late-July to early-August window.
Leaf nutrient concentrations naturally change
throughout the season (from spring to autumn) so
these published standards are NOT applicable if you
sample tissue outside the late July-early August
sampling time.
Other Considerations
It’s best to pair results of tissue tests with in-field
observations when deciding on whether or not to
modify a nutrient management program.
PAGE 02
 Grower Resources

REGIONAL FIELD REPORTS

Washington Grower
Strawberries: We are past Labor Day and I am crossing my fingers that sales will stay strong well into fall. Mold
pressure is slowly creeping in with the dewy mornings, and bird damage is getting increasingly worse to the
point where we just have to strip the outer two rows.

Western Washington strawberry crop stage, Sept. 7, 2021 by Charlie Gunderson

Western Oregon, Willamette Valley (8/30) From Julie Pond, PCM, Portland, OR
Blueberries: After visiting some fields last week I was shocked to see floral buds well formed! It feels a bit early
for that but it was quite obvious. Perhaps plants are just cranking everything out right now just so they can
finally be finished with this season. Don't blame them one bit. Lime is going on post harvest fields.
Caneberries: There is decent caneberry primocane growth in fields that have adequate irrigation.

Male SWD on post harvest Triple Crown blackberry, Julie Pond 9/2/21

NWBERRYFOUNDATION.ORG PAGE 03
Regional Monitoring

August 5, 2021

VIEW FULL REPORT SIGN UP HERE

REGIONAL MONITORING
(This is a repeat of last week’s information as the new report wasn’t received in time to include in this week’s edition.)

Welcome to this week's Agragene Regional SWD Report.

We have been seeing a steady increase in the SWD population over the past couple weeks. This past week
we saw a larger jump due to some big trap counts that came from a few trapping sites in the Linn and
Marion county areas. One site even had counts with over a thousand SWD in the trap which hasn't happened
since the beginning of January. The range of counts we see is vast with some traps catching zero, while
others having very high counts. This is reflective of SWD behavior at this time of year where large numbers of
flies will swarm and move about en masse, and if our traps are around, we catch a lot of flies. The theory on
this is that they are trying to disperse as widely as possible as it is yet another survival tactic for their species
to survive from one year to the next. Weather has continued to be hot, so even this recent growth has been
relatively modest for what it could otherwise be.

Location Total SWD

S A U V IE IS L A ND 190

BA NKS 8

FORE S T G ROV E 0

CORNE L IU S 4

HIL L S BORO 19

YA M HIL L 10

DU NDE E 0

M CM INNV IL L E 9

W IL S ONV IL L E 0

NWBERRYFOUNDATION.ORG PAGE 04
 Industry News

Click Here to view PEST ALERT

the NCSFR
Summer CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ORANGE
Newsletter RUST ALERT

PODCASTS OF THE INDUSTRY

The Business of Blueberries: A podcast from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council hosted by
Kasey Cronquist and Rod Cook.
O PENING NEW MAR KETS FO R B LU EB ER R IES

PolliNation: A podcast from Oregon State University Extension Service hosted by Dr. Andony
Melathopoulos.
186 - DEAN HER ZFELD - WHER E DO PESTIC IDE APPLIC ATO R S G ET THEIR TR AINING ?

Farm Journal Farm Country Updates

AMER IC AN AG PO LIC Y : A C O NVER SATIO N WITH THE SEC R ETAR Y
O F AG R IC U LTU R E

NEWSLETTERS OF THE INDUSTRY

September Western IPM Newsletter

FEATURED LINKS
A show of hands outlines US farm labor trends (9/7, Fruit Growers News)
Reports: Interest in crop insurance for specialty and organic crops grows as options expand (8/26, USDA release)

Grant to target stress, suicide prevention in Washington (9/7, Capital Press)

USDA focuses on fire, drought, climate change (9/7, Capital Press)

A test for heat stress (9/7, Good Fruit Grower)

NWBERRYFOUNDATION.ORG PAGE 06
NORTH AMERICA
High water and flooding impact trade on markets in eastern US READ MORE
(9/6, Fresh Plaza)

USDA invests $700 million in grants to provide relief to farm and food workers impacted by Covid-19 READ MORE
(9/7, The Packer)

LABOR
Entire world is short-staffed READ MORE
(9/3, Fresh Plaza)

Ag employers’ group files inquiry with USDA over annual farm labor survey READ MORE
(9/1, Fruit Growers News)

STRAWBERRY
Australian farmers plead with consumers to buy strawberries READ MORE
(9/2, Fresh Plaza)

An international trade platform for a fast-growing business READ MORE

(9/6, Fresh Plaza)

Dutch grower places solar panels over strawberries READ MORE

(9/1, Fresh Plaza)

EUROPE
It has been a tough year but our fruit has been well received READ MORE
(9/3, Fresh Plaza)

The concept of being late on the market will be diminished in the upcoming years READ MORE
(9/1, Fresh Plaza)

Serbian agri exports up 13.6% in first half of 2021 READ MORE

(9/6, Fresh Plaza)

Retailers move to year-round Dutch soft fruit is great news for our growers READ MORE
(9/7, Fresh Plaza)

AFRICA
Import duties and freight push up the cost of trading fruit in Africa READ MORE
(9/3, Fresh Plaza)

SOUTH AMERICA
Chinese investment in Chile creates opportunities READ MORE
(9/6, Fresh Plaza)

NWBERRYFOUNDATION.ORG PAGE 07
 Industry Calendar

SEPTEMBER 2021
Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission Meeting
14 9AM, ZOOM DETAILS: HTTPS://ZOOM.US/J/92562467686

Washington Red Raspberry Commission Board Meeting

15 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2021, 1PM -5 PM

Washington Red Raspberry Commission Post-Harvest Celebration

16 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 | 4:30 – 8:00PM, SAMSON ESTATES | EVERSON, WA

09/27 Innovate 2021: USHBC + NABC Tech Symposium and Fall Meetings
-
10/01 REGISTER HERE

Oregon Blueberry Commission Meeting

20
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20. EMAIL THE OBC OFFICE FOR ZOOM RSVP. IN PERSON LOCATION TBD.

Blueberry Physiology, Production Systems & Management

24
THE COURSE THAT STARTS SEPT 24 2021 WILL BE THE LAST ONE OFFERED AS BERNADINE WILL BE
RETIRING. REGISTER HERE

OCTOBER 2021
Oregon Strawberry Commission Meeting
06
DETAILS TO COME SOON

Washington Blueberry Commission Meeting

20
10AM AND WILL BE IN PERSON MEETING IN YAKIMA, WA WITH A POTENTIAL VIRTUAL OPTION. PLEASE CALL 509.266.4300 FOR
MEETING INFORMATION

DECEMBER 2021
2021 NCSFR Conference
13 - 15
TO BOOK A HOTEL ROOM, CLICK HERE. MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT ELISA
FORD AT INFO@NWBERRIES.ORG

The Small Fruit Update is published by the Northwest Berry Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit. Our mission is to support the northwest small fruit
industry through education, research and information access. The SFU is made possible through the generosity of our sponsors and readers like you. Donate
today, and together we can help our berry growing community thrive.

Thank you for your support!

DONATE NOW

NWBERRYFOUNDATION.ORG PAGE 08
 THE SMALL FRUIT UPDATE
WE E K 3 7 | S E P T E M B E R 0 9 , 2 0 2 1

This is the sole industry publication, For more information or requests please
gathering grower and producer news, contact:
and regional field reports to unite,
stabilize, and strengthen the Northwest Abby Gearing,
berry growing region (Canada and US). SFU Designer & Editor
abby@nwberries.org
Production is independent of
government and commercial control Tom Peerbolt,
and made possible by the following NBF Director & Editor
commission & councils. tom@peerbolt.com.