News

Mummy berry season is probably done

Dried up mummy berry cups were found on the barrens so I expect they are drying up in many locations.  With the warm dry weather we are getting over the next three days until Tuesday May 19th, I expect even later fields will have their cups drying up. 

Read more

Monilinia infection May 10, and mummy berry cups still active May 12

May 10th to 11th had conditions for another Monilinia infection period which started about 5 to 6pm in Waldoboro, Hope, West Rockport and Ellsworth, and later in the evening in Aurora, Blue hill and Jonesboro fields. Some fields in the barrens had wet conditions that continued through May 10th from the start of the rain […]

Read more

Monilinia infection May 9th to 10th

There were conditions for Monilinia infection from May 9 to 10th in all fields monitored with a weather station. In the Waldoboro, West Rockport, Hope, Ellsworth and Blue Hill weather station locations, the rain started about 3pm and in Washington county about 5 to 7pm as the rain moved farther east. Some fields may have […]

Read more

Monilinia infection May 6 to 7, cups still around

Midcoast area There were suitable conditions for Monilinia infection from May 6 to May 7 in the fields with weather stations. The rain started around 3 to 4pm on Wednesday May 6. If you applied fungicides after April 26 to 29 (10 to 7 days from this past infection period, respectively), there is a good […]

Read more

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 […]

Read more

Monilinia infection May 2nd to 3rd

Midcoast and Downeast fields All fields likely had an infection period from May 2nd to May 3rd if they had plants that had about 30 to 40% of their flower buds at F2 (crown stage). The rain started in Waldoboro on May 2nd about 9am. In Blue Hill, Ellsworth and Aurora the rain started in […]

Read more

Monilinia infection periods April 29 to May 3

Midcoast With the warmer weather, mummy berry cups have been seen in fields in Waldoboro, West Rockport and Hope. Fields in the midcoast varied from 10 to 40% of the flower buds at F2 (crown stage). If the field had more than 30 to 40% of flower buds at F2, this would have been enough […]

Read more

Blueberry and fungal development will speed up starting Saturday

Plant development Most plants are not ready yet. From the farthest south I have heard from, around Dresden Mills, there are some fields that are close to being ready. The phenology tracker report shows only about 1 to 8% of flower buds at F2 (crown stage and susceptible) which is what I saw in Ellsworth […]

Read more

Sign Up For One-on-One Spring Office Hours

Dr. Calderwood will be present at Extension Offices across the wild blueberry growing regions of Maine this spring for one-on-one free consultations. Sign up for an hour and a half time slot to discuss anything from field management, business planning, how to get started with a new field, expertise on a particular subject, to sharing […]

Read more