production methods
Not what you might think...
If you think that the berry business is a get-rich-quick scheme -- think again. Our income tax results were in the red from 1979 until 1988. From 1989 till 1994, it was a "pretty much" break-even situation, but our net worth increased during those years. In 1998, we incorporated. In 2005, we made a nice little supplement that helped pay for home maintenance.
We have 5 acres (approximately 3106 plants, less 400 that have been lost to disease and pestilence by 2001) of blueberries, 2 acres of erect blackberries, 0.8 acres of semi-erect blackberries, and 0.3 acres of raspberries.
BlueBerries
The first 3 acres of blueberries were planted in the winter of 80-81 with the varieties of Climax, Tifblue, and Delight. Because of consumer response to Climax and Delight, we added another ½ acre of each in the winter of 83-84. In the winter of 85-86, we added 500 Centurion with 100 Powderblue for pollination. Because of a slump in mature berries between Climax and Tifblue, we added about 200 Premier Plants. Up until 1994, whenever we lost plants to root rot (Phytophthora cinnamoni), we used Premier as the replant because of its tolerance to the disease.
Starting in 1994, because of a pollination deficit problem with Tifblue and because this variety splits badly when it rains, we started cutting down some of the Tifblue bushes (300 bushes) and replacing them with Britewell, Powderblue, and Centurion. We cut the bushes to the ground after harvest, allowed them to re-sprout, and then sprayed with Roundup. This technique did not work well. If we do more, we will pull them up. We also believe there is a replant problem with rabbiteye blueberries. Regrowth is much slower in these rows. In 2006 - 2007, we plan to pull Delight and replant all vacant spaces with newer varieties. Our new mix will be Robeson - 2 wk earlier than Premier, Premier - mid June, Columbus – July, Ira – July in frost pockets, Onslow - late July, Powderblue, and Centurion - Late July.
All of the berries are irrigated. We use city water for irrigation. In 1989, we used a little better than 1.2 million gallons. In 1991 we used almost none. In 2001, water cost $2.70 per thousand gallons. The price of water is going up again in 2006. We have gotten DNR to use submarine navigation technology to locate a potential well site but have not been able to find a well driller who will work where we want the well, plus it is expensive. The well issue is very high risk as we need 50 gallons per minute, and that is very rare in our area.
Our planting procedure consists of: (1) establishing fescue and fertilizing it to carry phosphorous and calcium deeper into the soil profile without plowing, (2) killing the fescue out in strips with Roundup, (3) planting blueberries in 2 ft. diameter holes generally at Thanksgiving with a 5 gallon bucket of very old saw dust (we experienced nitrogen deficiency and therefore went to ¼ cubic ft of dark peat moss in our next 2 acres and now we use compost for any replants), (4) in the first year we gave them 1/8 cup per month, starting in March continuing through the summer, of ammoniacal-based 19-19-19 and let the cold weather injure what it will. We delay application if there has not been three inches of rain or we get behind in other work. We abandoned ammonium sulfate due to low pH problems. We have limed for 1 year and used gypsum for 2 years to raise our soil calcium levels at the rate of 1 ton per acre in the row. We have a magnesium toxicity problem, but it is much improved with liming and the addition of gypsum. We still have a magnesium problem in poorly drained areas because anaerobic fermentation solubilizes magnesium. We have a manganese deficiency in areas where we used high-cellulose mulch, which over time resulted in excessive calcium levels. In subsequent years, we increased our fertilizer to ¼, ⅓, and ½ cup per plant per month but limited applications to just the spring months of March, April, and May. If they slow down, we will go out and give them an extra little bit. For the first 10 years we used a balanced fertilizer such as triple 19; since then, 16-4-8. We do not worry about fall or winter injury. It has not been a problem except in nursery plants gotten from a warmer climate. In fact, because of the lack of significant winter injury, we believe that you can plant in the fall just as soon as water levels return to field capacity without supplemental irrigation. After 20 years of experience, we feel that once the bushes fill the space, the fertilizer rate can be decreased significantly. Our current experience suggests reducing it by ⅓ in the 6th year, then continuing at this level in subsequent years. With varieties weaker than Tifblue, if they have a heavy crop, we apply an additional 20 units of N/ac as 16-4-8 or on an as-needed basis.
In 2006, we started an investigation of organic fertilizers. The cost is significantly more. We are evaluating plots using organic sources. We anticipate fuel prices will continue to increase [nitrogen is captured from air using fuel], and thus this price gap will narrow. Organic fertilizers recycle waste materials from other agricultural enterprises, such as chicken feathers. We also think our customers are willing to pay more for us to use organic sources. It is the environmentally responsible thing to do.
Weed management is difficult. Hand weeding takes too much time, even though we do a lot of it. Herbicides are generally Casaron, Simazine, and/or Surflan in the first and second years, with Karmex added in subsequent years for blueberries. We have learned from our neighbors that Sinbar is pretty hot, and on our mosaic soils it is hard to avoid injury. We generally use it at ⅛ of a pound/ac. Since 2004, we have stopped using Simazine in blueberries. We tank mix these materials with Roundup in the late spring and use Rely if touch-up is needed later. Our problem weeds are horse nettles, maypops (Passiflora 2 spp), briars (Smilax), Virginia creeper, poke, and blackberries. We generally go with a winter application and a late spring application. Test plots have revealed that the Delight variety is sensitive to Velpar (when it was legal in SC). We have used wick applications of Roundup and frequently hand-pull hard-to-control perennials. Research has shown that diuron [Karmex] and simazine interfere with the fruiting structure that produces the spores, which cause mummy berry primary infections. We now make sure we time the winter application before March first. These fruiting structures are normally produced in March or very early April.
In the early years, our blueberry pruning system consisted of hedging as soon after harvest as possible. We were always late! The later we are, the lower the yield next season. The tractor will run over drooping canes anyway, and customers will not pick what they can't reach, so hedging low-hanging canes and high shoots does minimal damage. We discontinued this practice. We tried to cut them at an angle so light and foliage develop low down in the bush. In the winter, we remove ⅕ to ⅙ of the oldest canes in bushes 6 years and older. We make the cuts 12 to 18 inches above the ground, making sure to select the oldest canes. Pruning this way controls bush height. In addition, we cut hangers in the row at this time. The big stub is so that Oberea stem borers do not make it to the crown if they invade the young vigorous shoots. Eventually, after the planting reached 20+ years old, we had to start cutting some of the big stubs. Oberea continues to be a problem.
We are promoting the hedgerow system and make no attempt to keep the crown small for mechanical picking. We try to keep pruning time down to 10 minutes per bush. Delight is the variety most likely to have cold-injured cambium at the base of the cane, so we try to leave them until last to prune. In general, the Delight variety has a shallow root system, is susceptible to leaf rust, and bears in alternate years. Although it is a big berry, we will take it out in 2006.
For pollination, we have brought in honeybees at $44/hive for good strong hives in the late 1980's. Usually, about 7 or 8 hives, along with the wild population, will give us 30+ bees per bush any time we want to count. Tracheal and Varroa mites have essentially wiped out the feral honeybees in our area since the early 90s. We have a lot of carpenter bees, and we agree with the literature that the combination is not very effective. We have a few blueberry bees, and you can sure tell the area where they are. We have planted Redbud trees for early forage for blueberry bees. Their populations vary widely from year to year. In response to this situation, we tried growing Japanese orchard bees. We started with 650 bees in 1988. I am here to report that they did not work.
To promote bumblebees, we added 1 acre of blackberries (Navaho, Shawnee, Arapaho, and Choctaw) as both bee forage and a sellable crop. We have also added Butterfly bushes (Buddleia) on the ends of rows as bee forage. Zoe and Ann started experimenting with cut flowers in 1992. The Buddleia is intended to supplement this effort and serve as bee forage. We also planted Bicolor Lespedeza around the entire perimeter of the farm in 1994 as late-summer bumblebee forage. In 1996, we jumped from 1- 2 bumblebees per bush to 10 - 12 per bush. We gibbed (Pro Gib [a growth stimulator]) the plants in 1991 by backpack spraying. The purpose was to compensate for pollination and as a rescue treatment when frost occurs. This organic practice has become standard since 1992 and is done each year.
blackberries
The blackberries have sold so well we have continued to expand this acreage.
We used a similar procedure, planting fescue then killing it out for erect and semi erect blackberries. We plant root pieces 2 ft. apart, plugs 3 ft. apart, and handled plants of Navaho 18 inches apart. The varieties in order of ripening are Choctaw, Arapaho, Shawnee, and Navaho. In 1996, we added the semi-erect varieties, Triple Crown and Chester, on a "Stiles Shift Trellis". These were planted 6 ft. apart. In 2000 because of unknown virus problems in Triple Crown and Raspberry bushy dwarf in Navaho we took these varieties out and replanted with Apache and Kiowa 2001. We are experiencing severe problems with oak root rot in the Chester variety and severe virus problems in the Apache variety so that in 2004 we took them back out. We have planted desert muscadine grapes [black - Supreme, Ison, Nesbit and Coward and bronze - Early Fry, Late Fry, Janet and Dixieland] in the Stiles shift trellis area. The shift trellis was bolted into an upright position.
We generally fertilize the blackberries at 80 units per season. We apply 40 units at bud break and 40 units immediately after harvest.
Weed control in blackberries is Gramoxone plus 0.75 lb ai/ac of Simazine immediately after harvest and pruning out the old floracanes followed by a fall application in September or October and/or a spring application prior to bud break all at the same rates if needed. It is usually applied by a tractor-mounted sprayer or in difficult locations backpack in 30 gallons of water per acre.
We prune blackberries by hedging first and then cutting the floracanes out. We feel it is important to do each variety right after harvest. This is especially important on the late maturing Navaho and those susceptible to double blossom disease. We will come back tip the blackberries at least one or more times. Some varieties like Chickasaw will overbear. It is important to prune them back enough that good crop of replacement canes is obtained.
raspberries
The blackberries have sold so well we have continued to expand this acreage.
We used a similar procedure, planting fescue then killing it out for erect and semi erect blackberries. We plant root pieces 2 ft. apart, plugs 3 ft. apart, and handled plants of Navaho 18 inches apart. The varieties in order of ripening are Choctaw, Arapaho, Shawnee, and Navaho. In 1996, we added the semi-erect varieties, Triple Crown and Chester, on a "Stiles Shift Trellis". These were planted 6 ft. apart. In 2000 because of unknown virus problems in Triple Crown and Raspberry bushy dwarf in Navaho we took these varieties out and replanted with Apache and Kiowa 2001. We are experiencing severe problems with oak root rot in the Chester variety and severe virus problems in the Apache variety so that in 2004 we took them back out. We have planted desert muscadine grapes [black - Supreme, Ison, Nesbit and Coward and bronze - Early Fry, Late Fry, Janet and Dixieland] in the Stiles shift trellis area. The shift trellis was bolted into an upright position.
We generally fertilize the blackberries at 80 units per season. We apply 40 units at bud break and 40 units immediately after harvest.
Weed control in blackberries is Gramoxone plus 0.75 lb ai/ac of Simazine immediately after harvest and pruning out the old floracanes followed by a fall application in September or October and/or a spring application prior to bud break all at the same rates if needed. It is usually applied by a tractor-mounted sprayer or in difficult locations backpack in 30 gallons of water per acre.
We prune blackberries by hedging first and then cutting the floracanes out. We feel it is important to do each variety right after harvest. This is especially important on the late maturing Navaho and those susceptible to double blossom disease. We will come back tip the blackberries at least one or more times. Some varieties like Chickasaw will overbear. It is important to prune them back enough that good crop of replacement canes is obtained.
figs
We had blueberry areas planted on perched water tables on the sides of hills, and they were doing very poorly due to root rot and manganese toxicity from anaerobic oxidation. Or were heavily impacted by pine voles. We planted these areas to Figs. We live-stake [from proven local trees] these and protect with straw through the first winter. Nursery Brown Turkey has been a poor producer. We have tried several varieties, but local Brown Turkey and Celeste do the best. Celeste is a little later than Brown Turkey and helps spread the season. La Purple will survive. Golden Celeste winter kills to the ground every year. We do not fertilize them. We prune them heavily, focusing on the summer crop and keeping them within picking range from the ground. The spring crop is poor and low quality if it occurs. They have very few problems. One problem is when they are not picked daily. Bees eat holes in the sides of the figs, lapping up the sugar. We have never seen a bird peck a fig, although that is a popular assumption. When a picker reaches for a fig, he sometimes gets stung. The fig is related to Poison Ivy, and some people react to the sap or being rubbed by the foliage. We encourage using long-sleeved shirts when picking figs. It is important not to prune them till late to avoid winter sun scald to the branches, and prune it out if it does occur. Root knot is present but is not a problem.
