Michigan State University Extension educators are expecting widespread but highly variable fruit damage across the state following this weekend’s low temperatures.

Small Fruit Educator Cheyenne Sloan says crop development in many southern regions was almost two weeks ahead of last year.

“Down in the southwest, all of the southern part of Michigan is just warmer than normal, but up in the UP, it’s colder than normal,” she says.

Tree Fruit Specialist Dan Dick says most southwest Michigan crops saw some freeze damage, including peaches, plums, apples, early blueberries, and cherries—depending on bloom stage.

“One orchard had about 80 percent viable, but then if I went to the orchard just across the road, only 20% was viable,” he shares. “And, then one that was about five miles away had zero percent, it’s really variable.”

He says a freeze on April 6th also caused severe losses to apricot and plum crops already in bloom.

Educators gave updates as part of the MSUE Fruit Team’s latest weekly in-season integrated pest management webinar.

Source - https://www.brownfieldagnews.com