We are starting to prune back the Oneals plants today. Customers always want to know what in the world we are doing to the fields when we do this. Berries grow on new growth that happens between harvest and frost. We cut the plants back so this new growth is at a manageable height for picking. Ideally, this is between waist and shoulder height. That being the case, we need to prune down at least to waist height to get the 18 - 24 inches of growth in the right zone. This is actually good for the plant too because that keeps it at a sustainable size for plant health.
We had a group out here yesterday taking a tour. Many thought there were no blueberries left in the back corner Oneals, but while they were walking and talking, a diligent customer picked a nice full bucket that she let us showcase. Amazing how at a cursory glance a field can look bare but a little more scrutiny can show what's really hiding in plain sight.
New Hanover plants are still in production in the front field. Nice blue but smaller because this is the mid season fruit for that plant. We still have quite a few green berries in the New Hanover section so we should easily finish out this week. We will have to see what the weather does to know how quickly those green berries will be ripe.
We had the first rain for the season yesterday morning. Lasted all of about 10 minutes but it did cut the dust down on Berry Patch Road.
Isn't it Murphy's law that when you have a group to show around the farm, the rains will come?
It's supposed to be in the 90s today so I hope we have a nice breeze to make outside life a little more bearable.
Have a wonderful day here or wherever your day takes you.
Melissa
No comments:
Post a Comment