Crop Conditions

The Purdue Meigs Horticulture Facility in Lafayette, Indiana just south of campus is looking lively this time of the year. All our fruit crops and trees have begun development. I know last year I said we had a warm winter and early spring but this year was much warmer and earlier. I was working fields in a cab-less tractor, in February, wearing a tee shirt on an 80-degree day this year. Our fruit crops and trees woke up about 3-4 weeks earlier than last year. The majority, of the grape varieties are dormant but the early varieties are showing bud swell. Apples are anywhere from silver tip to full pink, with a majority at green tip. Plums, peaches, pears, blackberries, and currants have begun development. Our field strawberries are actively developing new leaves. We have Strawberries in the high tunnels that started blooming about a month ago.