Early apples are almost ready for harvest in the Lafayette area. Grapes have started veraison, which is a bit late this year. Summer bearing (floricane) blackberry varieties are starting to ripen, though we have a very small crop due to winter injury. Japanese beetles and spotted wing Drosophila are abundant and causing damage to what little fruit there is. Fall-bearing (primocane) blackberries and raspberries are blooming and the first fruit is developing well. Japanese beetles are a problem when they feed on flowers of PF blackberries. We have a good crop of pawpaws this year and a decent crop of Aronia and elderberrythis year. The recent change in the weather is very welcome. We could use some rain but are very happy with the milder temperatures. These are perfect conditions for fruit ripening; warm sunny days and cool nights. Let’s hope this trend continues.
- Apples getting close to harvest
- Must be Honey Crisp
- Frontenac at early version
- Small, but nice crop of floricans blackberries
- Floricane blackberry fruit and Japanese beetles
- PF blackberries in bloom
- Japanese beetle feeding on flowers of PF blackberries
- Japanese beetle damage to flowers of PF blackberries
- Bloom on Niwot PF black raspberry
- Nice pawpaws
- Good crop of Aronia
- Elderberries look nice