Blueberries - Crop Use Guide
Value Statement:
For the average farmer, regular systematic scouting and record keeping are fundamental components of Integrated Pest and Weed Management.
The Blueberry scouting season typically begins in early March prior to the onset of bloom with four to five trips during pre-bloom and bloom, two to three trips pre-harvest, and two to three trips during harvest and post-harvest. Eight to ten well-timed trips through the field for the entire season are usually enough to provide valuable information on which to help make decisions.
While satellite imagery cannot replace these individual scouting trips, it can provide additional value to the grower who wants to do a quick check on his fields day to day, week to week, by viewing changes in the vegetative index.
Monitoring changes the in the vegetative index with satellite imagery from Granular Insights can help stop issues before they become a major concern. Mechanical issues causing a sprinkler head to not properly irrigate a section of a field? Sudden, excessive weed growth? Not enough water in the field? Recent vegetative damage due to insects and/or pests? Don't let one of these situations stop you from reaching your highest yield potential.
Pre-Bloom
Granular Insights Frequency:
- Leverage weekly Directed Scouting emails to highlight top fields of interest.
- Log into Granular Insights at least 1 time a week.
- Use the field ranking filters to check crop rankings against what you know about your fields.
What do Look For & Actions to Take:
- Early Weed Detection: Look for areas of relatively high vegetation that may indicate early weeds flourishing in your field.
- Poor Germination/Replant Decisions: Areas of low vegetation may indicate poor germination. The imagery can help you identify these areas and make timely replant decisions.
- Early Pest/Disease Issues: Check for localized but irregular areas of low vegetation due to crop damage resulting in the field showing a higher variability in the field variability filter.
Bloom
Granular Insights Frequency:
- Leverage weekly Directed Scouting emails to highlight top fields of interest.
- Log into Granular Insights at least 2-3 times a week.
- Use the field ranking filters to check crop rankings against what you know about your fields.
What to Look For & Actions to Take:
- Pest/Disease Issues: Check for localized but irregular areas of low vegetation due to crop damage resulting in the field showing a higher variability in the field variability filter.
- Weed Detection: Look for areas of relatively high vegetation in the Vegetation Index, this can indicate weeds flourishing in your field.
- Fungicide Decisions: Watch for areas of low vegetation in the Vegetation Index to make application decisions due to disease pressures.
- Weather Events: Monitor weather events and their impact on the Vegetation Index, unexpected weather events may cause areas of the field to show low vegetation resulting from crop damage.
- Nutrient Deficiencies: Follow the topography to track areas of low progress in the Vegetation Index.
Pre-Harvest
Granular Insights Frequency:
- Leverage weekly Directed Scouting emails to highlight top fields of interest.
- Log into Granular Insights at least 2-3 times a week.
- Use the field ranking filters to check crop rankings against what you know about your fields.
What to Look For & Actions to Take:
- Weather Events: Monitor weather events and their impact on the Vegetation Index, unexpected weather events may cause areas of the field to show low vegetation resulting from crop damage.
- Mechanical Issues: Watch for changes in the Vegetative Index due to malfunctions with irrigation systems.
- Pest/Disease Issues: Check for localized, but irregular areas of low vegetation due to crop damage resulting in the field showing a higher variability in the field variability filter.
Harvest
Granular Insights Frequency:
- Leverage weekly Directed Scouting emails to highlight top fields of interest.
- Log into Granular Insights at least 2-3 times a week.
- Use the field ranking filters to check crop rankings against what you know about your fields.
What to Look For & Actions to Take:
- Weather Events: Monitor weather events and their impact on the Vegetation Index, unexpected weather events may cause areas of the field to show low vegetation resulting from crop damage.
- Pest/Disease Issues: Check for localized, but irregular areas of low vegetation due to crop damage resulting in the field showing a higher variability in the field variability filter.
- Mechanical Issues: Watch for changes in the Vegetative Index due to malfunctions with irrigation systems.
Post-Harvest
Granular Insights Frequency:
- Leverage weekly Directed Scouting emails to highlight top fields of interest.
- Log into Granular Insights at least 1-2 times post-harvest to assess yield vs. imagery to adjust plans for the next season.
- Review your fields using your knowledge of the Vegetation Index to see how each field performed in order to identify management practice changes for the next year.
What to Look For & Actions to Take:
- Crop: Make rotation decisions based on imagery throughout the year showing areas of continuous low vegetation in the Vegetation Index.
- Management Practices: Adjust tilling, tillage, and cover crop decisions based on trends for areas showing low vegetation resulting in low crop performance.
*Not all uses and decisions that can be made at this time are documented above.*
