June-bearing Strawberries 
New Strawberry Plantings
Day Neutral Strawberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Article of interest - Notes on EcoFilm Liquid Mulch
Coming events

June-bearing Strawberries: Most fields are renovated or being renovated.  Send me an email to let me know how the season ended up for you! 

This is a good time to control cyclamen mite with a high rate of Thiodan (5L/ha)  because it is easier to get good spray coverage of  the crowns when the foliage is removed. Cyclamen mite thrives in humid conditions and perhaps the wet weather in eastern Ontario is why growers there are reporting major problems with this pest. 

Leaf diseases are also likely to be worse than usual in areas where rainfall has been abundant. Common leaf spot (especially on Mira, Kent) will infect through the underside of leaves, so new unfolding foliage is susceptible. Other leaf diseases, like leaf scorch and powdery mildew are also common in late summer. Where there is a history of leaf diseases, plan to apply 2-3 fungicides in August and early September depending on the weather. 

• Control common leaf spot with Topas, Captan, Maestro or Pristine 
• Control powdery mildew with Nova or Pristine.  

Many growers tank mix captan and Nova to get control of both diseases, and then alternate this combination with Pristine. 

New Strawberry Plantings: There have been several reports of large white grubs are feeding on strawberry plant roots new plantings. Growers can expect more problems where hay or pasture or weedy fields existed last year.  Tell-tale signs of white grub injury are: 

• Sudden plant wilt and collapse  
• Several plants in a row affected.  
• Roots clipped straight off about 2 inches below the crown. 
• Large ugly white grubs in the soil beneath the plant… but not every plant.   

Growers are also asking about weed control in new plantings. It is important to cultivate runners into the row. Heavy rains have pounded the soil smooth which will make it hard for runners to root.  No herbicides should be applied until the runners are rooted and well established. Plan to apply a pre-emergent herbicide such as Sinbar or Devrinol around Labour Day.  

Day Neutral Strawberries:  

Continue to monitor for tarnished plant bug and thrips. Powdery mildew will require control on a regular basis from now on. Albion seems to be very susceptible to Botrytis grey mould. 

Summer Raspberries: After harvest is an important time to control cane diseases.  Pruning out old fruiting canes right after harvest can help to reduce cane disease, but is also associated with more winter injury. Pristine (for Botrytis) and Tanos for general cane diseases are well worth the effort of application after harvest.  Check the lower cane in the middle of the row to see what cane diseases are showing up at this time.   

Phytophthora root rot and raspberry crown borer are common causes of cane collapse and poor primocane growth. These can be identified now by digging up affected canes and looking at the crowns. See publication #360 for late-summer control options for these pests.  

Fall-fruiting raspberries:  Autumn Britten are just starting to ripen in early areas. In later areas and on later varieties where bloom is present, be sure to apply a couple of fungicides for botrytis control during bloom. Later, as berries ripen, a pre-pick fungicide like Switch or Pristine will help improve Botrytis control. 

Blueberries: Blueberry harvest is going very well, with inexpensive blueberries in chain stores causing the biggest problem. 

An announcement from Michigan about blueberry scorch virus has generated some press and publicity. We are on the lookout for these and other virus diseases in Ontario.  Blueberry scorch virus symptoms:  shoot tips will die back, sometimes on just a few branches. The flowers may blight just as the earliest blossoms open. Fruit production and shoot growth are seriously reduced on scorch infected plants. 

Blueberry growers should be on the look out for symptoms of virus diseases and send samples from suspicious plants to the pest diagnostic clinic in Guelph. The clinic has recently expanded their ability to identify virus and virus-like diseases in blueberries. New plantings, especially those planted 3-5 years ago, should be watched closely, because infected plants can take 3 years to develop symptoms.  One way the disease could be introduced to a field is on infected planting stock.For more information see this update from Michigan.

Articles of interest: Notes on EcoFilm Liquid Mulch a herbicide for containers and planting holes in plasticulture?  

Coming Events: 

LAST CALL! August 11-12, 2009 - North American Strawberry Growers Association Summer Tour, in the Chicago area. For more information visit www.nasga.org or contact Kevin Schooley at info@nasga.org or 613-258-4587.

August 18, 2009. Simcoe Vegetable and Alternative Crop Open House, 1:30 pm. For information: 519-426-7127 Ext. 323 or visit http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/conferences/20090818.htm

DON’T MISS THIS!  September 16, 2009 Ontario Berry Growers’ Association season wrap-up and farm tour: Whittamores Farm, Markham. Contact Kevin Schooley, kconsult@allstream.net, 613-238-4587.