Fruit Crops Edition - Cranberry Section

Seasonal updates on diseases, insects, weeds impacting small fruit (blueberry, cranberry, and wine grape). Fruit Pest Alerts are also available via this category feed.
 
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April 4, 2025

NJ DEP issues Open Burn Permit from April 6 through April 12, 2025

To Agriculture and Agribusiness Representatives:

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is issuing this notice concerning open burning due to colder spring overnight temperatures presently forecasted for areas of New Jersey from April 6 (Sun), through April 12 (Sat), 2025, which could adversely affect fruit, vegetable, and floriculture crops in bloom or near bloom around the state. The DEP intends to exercise its authority and discretion under the Air Pollution Control Code, N.J.A.C. 7:27, et seq., and other applicable authorities to permit the following procedure for open burning or the use of smudge pots to assist farmers in protecting their crops in low temperatures. These cold events could adversely affect some of the fruit, vegetable, and floriculture crops. 

Note: The NJDEP and New Jersey Forest Fire Service caution all farmers and agriculture businesses with respect to the use of open burning in high wind velocity conditions. Please take note that farmers are encouraged to utilize smudge pots is warming as necessary during higher wind conditions. Use of open burning when wind velocity is greater than 5mph is strictly prohibited, may contribute to wildfire risk, and can carry significant penalties.

For the Burn Permit Application form, please see: https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/fire/docs/ag-permit.pdf

The DEP intends to exercise its authority and discretion under the Air Pollution Control Code, N.J.A.C. 7:27, et seq., and other applicable authorities to permit the following procedure for open burning or the use of smudge pots to assist farmers in protecting their crops in low temperatures. Procedures for Open Burning and the Use of Smudge Pots Pertaining to New Jersey Fruit, Vegetables, and Floriculture

  • Facilities that believe they will conduct open burning or use smudge pots must provide notice to the DEP 24-hour Communications Center at 1-877- WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337) prior to the use of either technique. • Facilities should notify DEP if they believe they may need to use either technique. • Where DEP cannot be notified in advance, a facility must notify DEP the following morning no later than 9:00 a.m. • The following information must be provided to DEP upon each notification:
  1. Name of the individual deciding to conduct the open burning or use of smudge pots.
  2. Name of the farm or facility
  3. Actual street address of the facility on which either technique will be used.
  4. Contact person and telephone number at the facility.
  5. Predicted temperature (in F) at facility anticipated when the technique will be used.
  6. Predicted wind speed at facility anticipated when the technique will be used.
  7. Predicted hours of open burning or use of smudge pots
  8. Predicted material to be used for open burning or use of smudge pots.
  • Upon completion of the open burning or the use of smudge pots, the facility must provide the following information within 2 business days to the DEP 24-hour Communication Center at 1877-WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337):
  1. The DEP Communications Center incident number
  2. Ambient orchard(s) temperature (in F) at the time the technique was used.
  3. Actual wind speed at the orchard(s) location at the time the technique was used.
  4. A statement that all restrictions in the open burning or use of smudge pots were followed. The restrictions are noted below.

RESTRICTIONS

  • NO OPEN BURNING WILL BE PERMITTED UNLESS: 1. The temperature within the orchard area is at or below the critical temperature for the bud stage. The attached report lists the critical temperatures for New Jersey crops. -AND 2. The wind velocity is less than 5 miles per hour.
  • Authorized open burning material may consist only of either the following materials: clean scrap lumber (untreated), felled trees, prunings, hedgerows or firewood.
  • ABSOLUTELY NO refuse, trade waste, tires, garbage, or other solid waste may be added to the authorized open burning material. Introduction of any unauthorized material into an authorized open burn is a violation of environmental laws and may carry significant penalties.
  • Smudge pots are only permitted when the temperature within the orchard area is at or below the critical temperature for the bud stage (wind velocity restriction does not apply).
  • Smudge pots must be fueled only with either kerosene or No. 2 fuel oil.
  • Failure to abide by these provisions and restrictions may result in enforcement action.

 

 

Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, vegetable, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , , ,
March 26, 2025 , , and

Preparing Orchards Against the Frost – Low Tech Strategies

Frost is common in the northeastern US. However, frost events during bloom, specifically in orchard crops, can be economically devastating. Often, the cause is a few hours below the injury threshold temperature for the developing buds, as cooler nights result in the rapid loss of thermal energy. Several passive or low-tech strategies can help maintain a slightly higher orchard floor temperature and potentially prevent substantial crop loss.

Site selection is the most effective frost protection method. When planning a new orchard, selecting a site with proper cold air drainage is the most valuable decision a grower can make and enjoy the rewards for many years. Cold air drainage is essential, so avoid buying a site or planting trees on the site that accumulate cold air. Also, identify areas where the cold air moves in and out. When possible, plant early blooming varieties in the least frost-prone areas and plant delayed and or extended bloom varieties in frost-prone areas.

Table 1. Relative temperature differences are influenced by orchard floor conditions (Courtesy, Robert Crassweller, PSU).

Do not invite the frost with excess vegetation and ground cover. The management of weeds along the row and sod between the rows will influence orchard temperatures. The bare ground will absorb more heat during the day and release more heat at night than soil covered in vegetation (Table 1). During the day, 45-50% of solar radiation gets reflected or absorbed by the atmosphere, and the earth absorbs the remaining 50-55%. Vegetation reduces this heat transfer to the soil because it reflects light before it can reach the soil surface. Removing tall weeds and windbreaks along the edges of orchards will also help improve airflow and limit the accumulation of cold air pockets in some areas of the orchard. This can be particularly important during spring bloom when just a few more degrees can make the difference between killing the flowers or not!

Extremely low grass cutting: Maintaining sod between the rows at a minimum height by frequently mowing will help with frost protection. Similarly, keeping the rows weed-free by using postemergence herbicides to kill emerged weeds and removing weed residues from the previous season will maximize the warming of the soil by solar energy during the day. Maintaining weed-free rows should also be considered by applying residual herbicides in the fall. Depending on herbicides applied in the fall, this will prevent or reduce weed emergence in early spring and give you more flexibility for applying your residual and postemergence herbicides in spring. 

The cold air drain machine has a fan that pulls cold air from the surrounding ground and pushes it into the sky. This is effective in a lower section of the orchard or the end of the vineyard where the cold air drains due to a slight slope. Placing the machine in the middle of the orchard may prove ineffective as the pulled cold air could settle back into the orchard unless there is a low inversion layer to mix with warmer air. Using the cold air drain machine can enhance the effectiveness of low grass cutting. The machine costs around $15,000, and its operating cost is much less than other active frost protection methods.

Wet soil slows the release of thermal energy on frost night. However, the soil profile must be thoroughly wet. This can be achieved by irrigating the soil to field capacity (maximum water holding capacity of that soil). Also, the temperature must be warmer during the preceding days to pack sufficient heat into the soil. Sandy soils store less energy than loamy soils because there is more air space between soil particles than loamy soils. Heavier soils may require more than 8–10 hours of irrigation to reach field capacity.

Delayed pruning delays bud development, which helps avoid damage from early spring frosts. Years of observation in commercial orchards in the northeast indicate that more buds survive after a frost event, specifically in peaches, if the pruning is delayed. Often, large farm operations begin pruning early in the dormant season due to labor availability and time constraints. In such cases, avoid pruning upper branches until the risk of a late freeze has passed. Also, avoid hard blossom thinning on peaches on lower branches or blossom thinning altogether. Instead, focus only on fruit thinning, which can serve as insurance against crop loss. Remember that any available crop will likely command a good price in frost years.

Combining the above methods can have a cumulative effect on overall frost protection in the orchard. Keeping trees healthy with proper nutrient and pest management is also important. Healthy trees may still lose a crop but are more likely to survive the next season than poor vigor and diseased trees. The success of Frost Protection will also depend on understanding each method’s working principles and the combination of environmental factors necessitating its use. The bulletin https://njaes.rutgers.edu/e363/ explains what to monitor before a frost event and active frost protection methods such as irrigation, heat application, and air mixing.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Nursery, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, vegetable, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , , ,
February 10, 2025 and

Potential Winter Injuries in the New Jersey Vineyards

Winter injury is a crucial limiting factor to wine grape production in New Jersey (NJ). The lowest recorded temperatures during Jan 21-23, 2025, and Dec 23, 2024, were 0˚F and below at several northern, central, and southern NJ locations (Table 1). These temperatures are below the threshold of causing winter injury to grapevine buds, canes, and even trunks in some cold-tender wine grape varieties.

This event brought the memory of the 2014 extreme cold when the large mass of arctic cold engulfed most of NJ over many hours with temperatures near and below 0˚F. These low temperatures suddenly dropped from very high temperatures on previous days. Significant damage in multiple wine grape varieties was reported in the survey conducted following that event: https://njvines.rutgers.edu/assessing-winter-cold-injury-in-nj-vineyards/.

Figure 1. Using freezing tolerance model to anticipate potential bud damage in Chardonnay at Central NJ vineyard location.

On a positive note, (1) the lowest temperatures on Dec 23 and Jan 22-23 were not preceded by very high temperatures, and (2) the lows occurred during the maximum cold hardiness of grapevines (mid-Dec to early-Feb). Rapid temperature fluctuations can be very damaging, while gradual temperature decline during the fall and winter helps achieve ideal cold acclimation and maximum cold hardiness. There are newer and better models that predict freezing temperature, e.g., a threshold temperature that can kill 50% of grape bud on the vine.

Figure 1 is an example of using the Cornell Grapevine Freezing Tolerance Program and Prediction Application to determine freezing tolerance at a specific central New Jersey location. This user-friendly interactive application allows one to select the weather station location, select a specific variety to create the chart with max temp (red), min temp (blue), and freezing tolerance model (black) lines. For the selected central NJ location, it is evident that when the lowest temperature reached below 0˚F, the vines’ freezing tolerance temperature also decreased. In general, if the minimum temperature gets within 3-4˚F of the model line, slight damage (5-10%) may have occurred; if it hits the line, expect 30-50% damage; if it goes through the line, expect more than 50%+ damage. In the example below, no or slight bud damage is expected in Chardonnay. However, such models are designed for a mature, healthy grapevine planted at sites with proper cold air drainage. Young or too weak, or too vigorous vines, or at lower spots, may see more damage than predicted by the model. (link https://cornell-tree-fruit-physiology.shinyapps.io/North_America_Grape_Freezing_Tolerance/)

What happens when the  grapevine is cold-damaged?

  • Death of the fruitful buds: Grapevine compound bud consists of the primary, secondary, and  tertiary buds  (Figure 2).

    Figure 2. Cross section of grapevine compound buds with primary (P), secondary (S), and tertiary (T) buds. A – all three buds are alive; B – P is dead, but S and T are alive; C- all three buds are dead. Photos by Lynn Mills, WSU.

    In general, primary buds develop into a new fruitful branch. The secondary buds will break if the primary bud is dead. The clusters from the secondary buds are smaller than the primary buds and can produce 50-80% of the primary bud crop. The tertiary buds are generally non-fruitful and will sprout if the primary and secondary buds are damaged. However, vegetative growth becomes very useful for grapevine health and recovery.

  • Development of Crown gall: After the harsh winter, gall development on graft unions, canes, and trunks can be the first visible sign of winter damage. Galls, caused by Agrobacterium around the trunk and graft, damage the vascular system, restricting the movement of water and nutrients in the grapevine. However, waiting for the symptoms to appear may prove counter-productive. Determining that the winter injury has occurred and which part was affected is half of the process of dealing with winter injury.

Assessment of bud damage in the vineyard.

  • Vines should be assessed for cold injuries following sub-zero temperatures. Allow at least a day or two before you sample any buds for cross-section. Randomly sample 100 bud-containing nodes throughout the block of a variety and different blocks of the same variety separately. If there is a high variation in the bud damage, sample 100 more buds or reassess how you define sampling block. The bottom 5-6 buds should be inspected for damage, starting from the basal buds. Make the horizontal cuts deep enough so that all three buds are visible. Figure 2 shows green indicates the alive buds, whereas brown indicates the dead buds. If part of the primary bud is green and part brown, consider it a dead bud. Take necessary precautions while using razor-sharp blades for dissection.
  • Adjusting the number of retained buds based on primary bud damage is the most effective strategy to achieve a full crop. Prune normally if only 25% or less of primary buds are damaged. Increase the retained buds by 50% if the primary bud mortality is 25- 50%. Increase the retained buds by 50% so the total number of viable buds remains normal. In case of more than 50% of buds are damaged, avoid pruning or hedge up to 6 or more buds, and also bring up multiple suckers to establish future cordon.

Other pruning strategies for avoiding or reducing winter injuries.

  • The best time for pruning is after the highest risk of winter damage has passed, typically from the end of Feb to March. This is specifically useful if the cold event occurs towards the end of winter. Unpruned vines can still be assessed for bud injuries, and adjusted for the pruning severity.
  • Delayed pruning also delays the bud burst and is a frost avoidance technique. It may not be practical to prune the larger vineyard just before the green tip stage. In that case, an option is double pruning, where a rough pruning atop 6-8 buds during the winter and then fine pruning at around bud swell is performed. However, start pruning the hardest cultivar first and finish with the least hardy.
  • Balanced vines, neither vigorous nor weak, will have less winter damage than un-balanced vines. Canopy management can achieve balanced vines, starting from the winter pruning.
  • Choosing the right location for planting grapevines is the most effective strategy. Avoid cold pockets or low spots where cold air will likely drain and accumulate. Weed-free stripes and low mowing between isles, which facilitate cold air drainage, are helpful tools.
  • Selecting cold, hardy varieties or planting cold-tender varieties at the higher elevation and cold-resistant or hybrid varieties at the low spots avoids the problem.
  • Retaining two or more trunks for cold-tender or young vines should be standard practice.
  • Hilling up the graft union works as an insulation that protects the graft union from cold damage. Factsheet FS1264 https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs1264/details the essential aspects of hilling-up. The grapevines with multiple trunks and hilled-up are even less likely to suffer winter injuries than just retaining more trunks or just hilling-up.

References

  • Centinari M. 2016. What is going on in your vineyard right now? PSU Extension Wine and Grape U.
  • Fiola J. 2021. Assessing Grapevine Bud Damage. Timely Viticulture. https://extension.umd.edu/resource/assessing-grapevine-bud-damage/Timely Viticulture.
  • Ker K and Brewster R. 2011. Strategies to recover from Winter Damage. KCMS Applied Research and Consulting.
  • Moyer M, Mills L, and Keller M. 2011. Assessing and Managing Cold Damage in Washington Vineyards. Washington State University Publication EM042E.
  • Zabadal TJ, Dami IE, Goiffnet MC, Martinson TE, and Chien MC. 2007. Winter Injuries to Grapevines and Methods of Protection. Extension Bulletin E2930. Michigan State University Extension.
Filed Under: Blueberry, Cranberry, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,
January 28, 2025 , , and

FSMA PRODUCE SAFETY RULE GROWER TRAINING

February 6, 2025 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Pre-Registration Required Deadline to register online is Monday February 3

 New Jersey Vegetable Growers Convention at Harrah’s Waterfront, 777 Harrah’s Blvd., Atlantic City, NJ

 This training fulfills the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that at least one person from each farm needs to receive a standardized curriculum recognized by the FDA.

Topics Include:

  • Introduction to Produce Safety
  • Worker Health, Hygiene & Training
  • Soil Amendments
  • Wildlife, Domesticated Animals & Land Use
  • Agricultural Water – Production Water
  • Agricultural Water – Postharvest Water
  • Postharvest Handling & Sanitation
  • How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

Each attendee will receive a grower manual and be eligible for a certificate from the Association of Food & Drug Officials of the United States (AFDO). Note: Each participant must stay the entire training to be eligible for the certificate of training.

The cost is $50/per person,

Registration is separate from the registration fee to the Vegetable Growers Convention.

*Participants must be registered with VGANJ for the convention to attend this workshop.

For more information, email Jennifer at jmatthews@njaes.rutgers.edu

(Lunch is on your own)

Register at:  https://onfarmfoodsafety.rutgers.edu/fsmaac/

This training is partly funded through grants from the United States Department of Agriculture & the Food & Drug Administration.

Note:

Financial Assistance for Food Safety Certification and Training is available from the USDA Farm Service Agency. This is the chance for eligible fresh fruit and vegetable growers to recover some of their expenses for implementing food safety practices on the farm. For more information on this program please go to: Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops for Program Years 2024 and 2025

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, Strawberry, training, Tree Fruit, vegetable, Vegetable Crops
December 18, 2024

Register Before December 31 for Bonuses at the 2025 NJ Ag Convention

Have you signed up for the 2025 New Jersey Agricultural Convention and Trade Show yet?
Visit the VGANJ Convention Website and register today!

It’s incredibly simple! Here’s a pro tip: Become a member of the Vegetable Growers Association to enjoy all the benefits, even if you don’t grow vegetables, and save on convention registration fees by becoming a member. Everyone must register to enter the trade show and participate in educational sessions and other events sponsored by the VGANJ. 

Make sure to register by December 31st to receive two complimentary drink tickets (per registered individual) for use at the trade show bars after 2 PM on Tuesday and Wednesday. Plus, you’ll be entered to win a $100 gift card for meals during your time in Atlantic City!

Don’t forget to check the VGANJ website for the exciting new educational sessions for 2025.

Also, on Tuesday there will be a special free “Lunch and Learn” program to engage with vendors and participate in a Q&A session with the new Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Wengryn.
*FREE lunch tickets only for the first 100 farmers Tuesday who sign up for the “Lunch and Learn” at the registration desk on Tuesday morning. Lunch starts at 12:00.

On Wednesday, February 5th the VGANJ will be honoring the NJ Vegetable Grower of the Year. For 2025 the honoree is Brian Porch from Salem County, NJ. Come help us celebrate our awardee and the NJDA awardees at the banquet. Tickets are now available online through VGANJ. See the VGANJ Convention Website to sign up for the banquet and other special events.

Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, pesticide credits, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape, work shop Tagged With:
December 18, 2024

Hurry – Apply for the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) Program– Applications Due January 8, 2025 – Contact Your Local FSA Office Now

The MASC program, administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) using Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds, provides eligible specialty crop producers with marketing assistance payments to help them engage in activities that aid in expanding domestic specialty crop markets or in developing new markets for their specialty crops in 2025.

SPECIALTY CROPS ELIGIBLE – Fruits (fresh, dried) Nursery crops, Christmas trees, and floriculture, Vegetables (including dry edible beans and peas, mushrooms, and vegetable seed) Culinary and medicinal herbs and spices, Tree nuts, Honey, hops, maple sap, tea, turfgrass, and grass seed. Payments are capped at $125,000 per producer, and if demand exceeds the allocated $2 billion, payments may be prorated. Final payment factors will be determined after the application period closes.

To be eligible for payments, persons or legal entities must:
• Be in the business of producing a specialty crop at the time of application and be entitled to an ownership share and share in the risk of producing a specialty crop that will be sold in calendar year 2025;
• Be a U.S. citizen, resident alien, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or other organizational structure organized under State law, Indian Tribe or Tribal Organization, or a foreign person or foreign entity who meets certain eligibility requirements;
• Comply with the provisions of the “Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation” regulations, often called the conservation compliance provisions;
• Not have a controlled substance violation;
• Submit a complete MASC application form (FSA-1140) and provide all required documentation as specified in the documents section below.
To be eligible for payments, a person or legal entity must have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $900,000 for tax years 2021, 2022, and 2023, unless the person or legal entity’s average adjusted gross farm income is at least 75 percent of their average AGI.

Eligible producers can apply by completing the FSA-1140, Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) Application, and submitting it to any FSA county office by January 8, 2025.

FSA-1141, Marketing Assistance For Specialty Crops (MASC) New Producer Expected Sales Worksheet (New producers only)
New producers must complete and sign the new producer expected sales worksheet and provide along with their FSA-1140 to any Farm Service Agency county office nationwide.

See link for more information: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/tools/informational/fact-sheets/marketing-assistance-specialty-crops-program 

Filed Under: Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Uncategorized, vegetable, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: ,