Wild Blueberry Newsletter, May 2026
Wild Blueberry Newsletter
May 2026
Wild Blueberry Plant Development
Bud stage T2 has arrived and some producers have begun spraying for mummy berry. There is a possible infection window approaching on Sunday with the rain forecasted.
This is a critical stage to observe in your field because at this stage the bud has opened enough for mummy berry spores to infect. Please check your own field. To calculate the % of susceptible buds, count the number of total floral buds and floral buds at stage F2 and beyond for at least 10 stems from different clones but preferably 20 stems. To get the percentage: divide the number of floral buds at F2 or higher by the total number of floral buds multiplied by 100.
Development of wild blueberry floral buds from T0 (far left), T1 (second from left), T2 (third from left) to T3 (far right).
Visit the Phenology Tracker webpage for all phenology data.
New and Improved AgriNet App with Instant Alerts and Forecasts
The AgriNet App and website provide information on possible freezing conditions and infection periods for Mummy Berry Blight and Botrytis Blossom Blight. It has been upgraded and now includes new features.
How to Access AgriNet
You can reach the App website on the web through the Wild BlueberryCooperative Extension website. The app is available for Android or iOS and is searchable in app stores under “AgriNET” Tuctronics. For accessing the website, a Chrome Web Browser is required.
- Your AgriNET login (case sensitive): BB
- Your AgriNET password (case sensitive): Grower
New Features
Conditions for Disease or Cold Temperatures are Reported Automatically
The icons for a specific location will change to show disease or cold temperature, as soon as weather conditions occur to produce temperatures below 35F or possible infection conditions for mummy berry or Botrytis blossom blight, respectively. This is using eight weather stations put out in Midcoast, Ellsworth, Blue Hill, Aurora and at Blueberry Hill Farm.
Forecasts for Disease or Cold Temperatures Two Days Ahead Provided
Each weather station in a field (eight stations) and six other locations now have an icon in the app map providing a two-day forecast for disease or below 35 F conditions. These forecasts are using National Weather Service data. For forecasting disease, leaf wetness is predicted if the probability of precipitation is greater than 60%. Please check local weather stations for actual weather.
Individualized Real-Time Alerts:
You can receive real-time text alerts to your cellphone for diseases or cold temperature conditions for specific weather stations for both real-time reports and/or forecasts from those stations.
- These alerts can be sent as soon as conditions occur. How often and when you want to receive alerts can be set up to your preference.
- The alerts can be set up to occur as often as you want: such as, once per hour, to longer periods between alerts, such as once per day.
- Your alerts can also be turned off for times you do not want to be disturbed, so they will not come in the middle of the night.
Click Here to Sign up For Disease Alerts
For questions, contact Dr. Annis at sannis@maine.edu or phone the Wild Blueberry Hotline: 1.800.897.0757 (in Maine), option 3.
Soil Sample Notification
When submitting soil samples to the UMaine Soils Lab, please use crop code 400. Each soil sample now costs $20.00. We have rewritten two new factsheets on sampling and nutrient management in wild blueberry that we look forward to sharing in the coming weeks.
Bulk Box Order- Orders Due May 15
The Maine Wild Blueberry Growers Association is organizing a bulk order of white cardboard boxes from PackEdge, a Portland Maine based company. These boxes are white and waxed with two-parts (bottom and top). Because these boxes are FDA compliant and food grade, a plastic bag is not required inside and the boxes are suitable for fresh and frozen berries. Ordering as a group will reduce the cost of boxes for you. The final price per bundle will depend on how many people participate in the order and once all orders are in PackEdge will confirm the final price per bundle.
Bottom (Inside) Box Dimensions:
N5LBBLUEBERRY (5 lb): 7.48″ x 9.09″ x 2.95″
N10LBBLUEBERRY (10 lb): 13.5″ x 9.09″ x 4.29″
Top (Outside) box dimensions are about ½ inch larger.
Minimum Order: 1 bundle of 50 boxes. Each bundle is 50 boxes.
Pick up Locations:
- Brodis Blueberries, Hope
- Blue Hill Berry Co, Penobscot
- Lynch Hill Farm, Harrington
Make an Order: You will order and pay PackEdge directly by May 15. Send an email to Stella at orders@packedgeinc.com indicating the following:
- Number of bundles you would like to order
- Which pick-up location you prefer
Food Safety
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry continues to build an inventory of Maine produce farms. Inventory work allows us to determine which farms are subject to the FDA FSMA Produce Safety Rule regulation that we enforce on behalf of the FDA.
Wild blueberry farms that are not currently in our inventory will be offered an initial inspection before this year’s harvest season if they are subject to the regulation. FDA encourages us to schedule inspections during harvest, but they may be scheduled when the crop is growing and still meet minimum FDA requirements. We are offering these pre-harvest season inspections as an incentive for verifying your farm information, since it is practically impossible to find farms that sell 100% to a processor.
The FDA has committed to collecting farm supplier information from Maine wild blueberry processors during their next inspection, and they will share that information with us for farm inventory purposes. In time, all farms will be contacted. Farms can verify their farm information via our online survey or by reaching out via phone or email.
Click Here to Take the Food Safety Survey
Events
Mid-coast Wild Blueberry Field Day
Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026
Time: 9:00-12:00 with Lunch to Follow
Location: Brodis Blueberries, Hope
Fee: Free
Click Here to Register for the Mid-Coast Wild Blueberry Field Day or call Mary Michaud at 207.581.3175.
Downeast Wild Blueberry Field Day (Blueberry Hill Farm Field Day)
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Time: 9:00-3:00
Location: Blueberry Hill Farm, Jonesboro
Fee: Free
Click Here to Register for the Downeast Wild Blueberry Field Day or call Mary Michaud at 207.581.3175.
Tasks
- Monitor early emerging pests such as flea beetles, leafrollers, and spanworm larvae.
- Take soil samples now to determine soil pH for spring sulfur applications.
- Pre-emergent herbicide applications are happening now.
- Mummy berry sprays are happening now.
- Bees are on their way to Maine!
- Calibrate sprayers and check equipment ahead of the busy season.
- Attend or review updates from University of Maine Cooperative Extension wild blueberry meetings or scouting alerts.
Sincerely,
Lily