US (MS): Late frosts bad news for blueberries
The frosts caused some of the tender buds to brown. If they don't recover then the harvest will be reduced significantly.
“We had at least 30 percent damage to the crop,” said Polly Arnold, owner of Aunt Polly’s Farm near the Dixie community outside Hattiesburg in Forrest County.
She said much of the damage was on the top of the plants, where the buds were most exposed. She says that everyone in the area is reporting similar problems.
Jeff Sanford, who farms a small number of blueberry bushes at Collins in Covington County, is certain his plants have been damaged, he just doesn't know how badly at this stage. He expects, like Polly, that it will be above 20%.
Industry insiders say that what is needed now, is consistent warm weather. Rain, they say, is not a problem, unlike the cold, which could make all the difference to the season's outcome.
Source: hattiesburgamerican.com
