Apr 3, 2015
Weekly IPM meetings start in SW Michigan

Weekly Monday fruit integrated pest management (IPM) meetings are held for fruit growers in southwest Michigan every Monday in April (starting April 13) through the end of June.

Michigan State University Extension fruit educators Mark Longstroth, Bill Shane and Brad Baughman share results from scouting fruit orchards, vineyards and small fruit fields with area growers to keep them up to date on emerging developments in the area.

These updates are scheduled to begin April 13 at Bjorge’s Fruit Acres Farm, located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Friday and Carmody Roads, south of Coloma, Michigan. The meetings all begin at 5 p.m. and run to 6:30 or 7 p.m.

The weekly meetings continue until June 30. No meeting will be held May 25, Memorial Day.

Tree fruit, grape and blueberry growers, as well as area crop consultants attend these meetings. Reviewed are current crop conditions in the region and a look at upcoming concerns in fruit production related to weather forecasts, crop development and emerging insect and disease issues. Information from these weekly meetings is shared with other fruit growers and consultants by weekly reports at MSU Extension’s Fruit and Nut Page.

Two Michigan pesticide applicator recertification credits will be available to attendees. No registration is necessary for these meeting, which are open to all fruit growers in southwest Michigan. Growers are invited to bring plant specimens for diagnosis. New fruit varieties will be shown as the season progresses.

This series of meetings ends as the harvest of blueberries and cherries begins in southwest Michigan.




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