The Summertime Blueberry News

Southern Region Integrated Management Guide

Hosted on The Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium
Pesticide management guide covers pathology, entomology, weed science and more. Cooperative work from NC State University, University of Georgia, Clemson University and the University of Tennessee. Additional contributions from Virginia Tech, Louisiana State University and the University of Florida.
Read 2014 Southeast Regional Blueberry Integrated Management Guide
(Right Click To Save In Most Browsers)

How Flowers Impact Bee Foraging In Blueberries

Additional study information on which bees are best for rabbiteye blueberries
More results on bees and blueberry pollination have been released from an ongoing study at NC State University’s entomology department. This study is focused on bee diversity and foraging patterns between types of rabbiteye blueberries. The study is relevant because rabbiteye blueberries make up about 20% of  the North Carolina blueberry acreage.
Read the results on the NC Cooperative Extension website

Blueberries increasing as featured menu item!

Hosted On the NC Cooperative Extension Website
Customers demand healthy options: Chefs get the blues
Hosted on The US Highbush Blueberry Council website
As blueberries are becoming increasingly popular in home cooking, a similar dynamic has been documented in restaurants across the country. A survey found that blueberries have seen a 97% growth on menus of top restaurant chains.
Read More On The US Highbush Blueberry Council

Blueberry Harvest Updates – Summary

Florida – Still trending to top 2013 harvest by 20% (25 million pounds)
Mississippi – Blueberry crop delayed by adverse weather. Record harvest expected
Michigan – Harvesting getting under way
North Carolina – Harvest expected to maintain issues, kudzu spotted but not be about the same
Georgia – Harvesting expected to decrease due to seasonal pressures
Washington – Expecting record harvest
Oregon – Harvest expected to increase sharply
British Columbia – Expecting record harvest
New Jersey – Harvesting increasing
California – Harvest trending slower due to seasonal pressures

Old News – Did You Know?

The Georgia Peach Can’t Be Happy!
Blueberries became the top fruit crop in Georgia back in 2012!