Wild Blueberry Newsletter March 2024
March 2024
March has been a warm month until this week, which thankfully slowed down bud development. Growing degree days (GDD) are a good way to compare spring temperatures from year to year. The USA National Phenology Network (www.usanpn.org/data) reports that we are now approximately 9 GDD ahead of 2023 and 13 GDD ahead of the 30-year average.
On March 18 and 19, 2024 my team checked our wild blueberry phenology sites where we saw some buds swelling. See Phenology tracker.
Season Weather Forecast
According to the NOAA Climate Prediction Center outlook products (mco.umaine.edu/weather/outlook_maps/) and Dr. Sean Birkel, UMaine Extension’s Climatologist, the next 3-4 weeks to have above-average temperatures. It’s safe to say this will be an early spring. There is precipitation predicted to occur within the next 14 days but equal chances of some or no precipitation in the 3-4 week outlook. The most analogous winter/early spring was in 2016. Winter 2016 (starting Dec 2015) was the warmest on record in Maine. Winter 2016 was also when the last mega El Nino peaked (and then La Nina developed by summer, similar to forecasted this year). The spring and summer of 2016 were dry, and that triggered the first activation of the Maine Drought Task Force since 2003.
Go FundMe for the Sweetland Family
Unfortunately, Paul and Kate Sweetland lost their home to a fire last week. Here is the link to their GoFundMe page.
Spotted Wing Drosophila Survey
Nationwide, we have been dealing with Spotted Wing Drosophila for nearly 15 years, and it is time to transition from short-term crisis response to long-term goals. The University of Maine is working with a national team of researchers to continue developing new management strategies for this invasive pest. The University of Florida is our partner in this important work, which is why you will see their logo on the survey.
Thank you for your time!
Upcoming Events
Spring is here! This year the UMaine Extension wild blueberry field meetings focus on sprayer calibration and burning safety. The burning safety workshops will be hosted by the Maine Forest Service with UMaine Extension present. Integrated pest management and crop management will be interspersed throughout all field meetings. Pizza will be available at all meetings. Join us!
Any questions or would like to register, please call Mary Michaud at 207.581.3175.
Sprayer Calibration and Wild Blueberry IPM
Date: Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Time: 4:00-6:00 pm
Location: Nash Farms Inc. 1193 Peabody Rd, Appleton, ME
Pesticide Credits: 2
Sprayer Calibration and Wild Blueberry IPM – New Date due to rain
Date: Thursday, April 11, 2024
Time: 4:00-6:00 pm
Location: Allen’s Wild 267 Front Ridge Rd, Orland, ME
Pesticide Credits: 2
Maine Forest Service: Burning Wild Blueberry Fields Safely
Date: Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Time: 4:00-6:00 pm
Location: Blueberry Hill Farm, 1643 US-1, Jonesboro, ME
Pesticide Credits: 1
Maine Forest Service: Burning Wild Blueberry Fields Safely
Date: Thursday, April 25, 2024
Time: 4:00-6:00 pm
Location: Ewing Fruit Company, 91 Tolman Road, Warren ME
Pesticide Credits: 1
Sprayer Calibration and Wild Blueberry IPM
Date: Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Time: 4:00-6:00 pm
Location: Blueberry Hill Farm 1643 US-1, Jonesboro, ME
Pesticide Credits: 2
Blueberry Hill Farm Field Day
Date: Thursday, June 27, 2024
Time: 9:00 am -3:00 pm
Location: Blueberry Hill Farm 1643 US-1, Jonesboro, ME
Pesticide Credits: 3
Sincerely,
Drs. Lily Calderwood and Phil Fanning