Fruit Crops Edition - Wine Grape 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: , , , ,
March 2, 2025

USDA Extends Deadline For The 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties

Trenton, NJ – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will continue to collect the 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties through April 18, 2025. Conducted just once every five years, the Census of Horticultural Specialties is the only source of detailed production and sales data for U.S. floriculture, nursery, and specialty crop industries, including greenhouse food crops.

Growers are encouraged to complete their survey either online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail as soon as possible. The online questionnaire is user-friendly, accessible on most electronic devices, and saves producers time by calculating totals and automatically skipping questions that do not apply to their operations.

NASS enumerators will also continue gathering data and ask respondents to complete and return their survey form as soon as possible. If those who have received the form are no longer involved in horticultural operations, or need assistance completing the questionnaire, they can call toll-free, 888-424-7828 so their record can be updated.

Producers who receive the 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties are required to respond by federal law (Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law 105-113), as it is part of the Census of Agriculture program. That same law also requires NASS to keep all individual information confidential.

“This is a great opportunity to show the importance of New Jersey food grown under cover,” stated Bruce Eklund, USDA/NASS NJ State Statistician. “Our end-of-the-year vegetable survey, for example, only shows crops grown in the open.” Growers should have received the survey via mail and or a specific survey code to complete the survey online. If you can’t locate the survey or your code, please contact Bruce at 503.308.0404 or by email at bruce.eklund@usda.gov.

The 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties data is scheduled to be available on December 16, 2025, at nass.usda.gov/AgCensus and in the Quick Stats database at quickstats.nass.usda.gov. For more about the 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties, please visit nass.usda.gov/go/hort.

NASS is the federal statistical agency responsible for producing official data about U.S. agriculture and is committed to providing timely, accurate and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Fruit, Organic Production, Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,
February 11, 2025

South Jersey Commercial Fruit Growers Meeting

Pesticide Credits Approved – #CORE(1); #10(6); #PP2(7); #1A(7)

Date:                    March 4, 2025 (Tuesday)
Location:            Gloucester County Govt. Services Building #A, 1200 N. Delsea Dr., Clayton, NJ 08312
Registration:      $20.00 (Checks only, made out to Rutgers University, can be paid at the door but pre-registration required).  Lunch, Coffee, and Pastries Included. Required by March 3.  Contact: (856) 224 – 8030 or Email: jmedany@co.gloucester.nj.us

PROGRAM

8:30 am           Registration, Coffee and pastries
8:50 am           Welcome and Opening Remarks
Hemant Gohil, County Agent II, RCE of Gloucester County, Rutgers NJAES

9:00 am           Multi Pest Management in the Orchard
Anne Nielsen, Extension Specialist, Fruit Entomology, Rutgers NJAES

9:30 am           Bacterial Spot Management in the Peach Orchard.
Kari Peter, Extension Specialist, Tree Fruit Pathology, Penn State University.

10:00 am         Understanding how irrigation water can be a source for soilborne diseases in the orchard
Kari Peter, Extension Specialist in Tree Fruit Pathology, Penn State University.

10:30 am         Coffee Break
10:45 am         Industry and USDA Updates

11:00 am         An update on the Fruit IPM Program and summary of the 2024 season.
Janine Spies, Statewide Program Leader in Fruit IPM, Rutgers NJAES

11:30 am         What can the Rutgers Plant Diagnostic Lab do for you?
Sabrina Tirpak, Laboratory Researcher, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Rutgers NJAES

Noon             Lunch

1:00 pm           Pesticide Handling and 2025 updates
George Hamilton, Extension Specialist in Pest Management, Rutgers NJAES

1:30 pm           Peach Flower Thinning using ACC (Accede)
Shantanu Krishna Kumar, Assistant Professor of Tree Fruit, Penn State University.

2:00 pm           Plant Nutrition and Causes of Bitter Pit Disease in Apple
Joseph Heckman, Extension Specialist in Soil Fertility, Rutgers NJAES.

2:30 pm           2024 Field Observations – peach varieties, overhead irrigation frost protection, hydro-cooling, post-harvest inking.
Hemant Gohil, County Agent II, RCE of Gloucester County, Rutgers NJAES.
Daniel Ward, Extension Specialist, Pomology, Rutgers NJAES.

3:00 pm           Pesticide recertification credits and Adjourn

For questions, please get in touch with Hemant Gohil at 856-418-6538 or email at gohil@njaes.rutgers.edu
Send Check to Hemant Gohil, Rutgers Coop Extension, 254 County House Rd., Clarksboro, NJ 08020

Filed Under: Blueberry, Fruit, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, 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 14, 2025 and

REGISTER TODAY – NJ Ag Convention Coming Soon

We are only days away from the start of the 2025 NJ Agricultural Convention and Trade Show at Harrah’s in Atlantic City starting on February 3rd to February 6th. The convention has evolved over the years to include much more than vegetable topics. See the graphic below or the VGANJ website convention program for a list of expanded topics.

Nursery growers – we have a full day for you. Do you raise livestock? We have a new session for you. Want to learn about agricultural policies? Come to the session on Tuesday morning hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension Director, Brian Schilling and colleagues from the State Agricultural Development Committee. Need to learn about Food Safety Regulations, we have both a session and a workshop for you. USDA will be hosting sessions on Tuesday to promote programs for farmers. There are too many more topics to put into text so please check out the program on the VGANJ website. 

Need pesticide recertification credits? This year the workshops and sessions will help you fulfill the obligation to obtain those credits. Monday afternoon hosts a 6-CORE credit workshop that requires a separate special registration. Check out the program and how to register on the VGANJ website.

Have you registered for your hotel rooms yet? If not please use the room block and register online at https://book.passkey.com/GO/SHVEG5 or call to make Room Reservations on the phone at 1-888-516-2215 (8:00am-2:00am EST, 7 days a week), Group Name: New Jersey Vegetable Growers. Group Code: SHVEG5. There are plenty of rooms left in the room block, but the pre-registration ends soon, so reserve your rooms today. Please reserve your rooms through the group block to help us meet our obligations for the convention contract. 

Don’t miss the great Tuesday events. There is a FREE “Lunch and Learn” on Tuesday (sign up for tickets at registration on Tuesday, limited to 100 participants) in the back area of the trade show hall with time to meet with vendors and also discussion with the new NJ Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Wengryn. Tuesday night hosts a charity auction and if you attended last year, you know how great this event is with food, drink, and time to catch up with old friends and make new friends in farming. Thanks to VGANJ Secretary, Darcy Perehinys the Tuesday events will once again have amazing food! Lots of prizes from our sponsors will be available for bid at the Charity Auction. If you haven’t attended this event in the past, don’t miss it this year as it is much improved from years past. Tuesday is a big day and with the Lunch and Learn and Charity Auction Happy Hour – if you attend both these events you can eat for free!!!!

One more event you won’t want to miss is the annual awards banquet on Wednesday night. Tickets can now be purchased online on the VGANJ website. This year’s NJ Vegetable Grower of the Year award goes to Brian Porch, of Porch Farms in Salem County, NJ. The award will be presented by VGANJ President, Jim Abma. Come help us celebrate Brian and all the other award winners who will be honored by the NJ Department of Agriculture. 




Filed Under: Agrivoltaics, Blueberry, Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, 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: ,