AUGUST 2018 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC
Cherries set for near-record
crop this season Splitting minimal due to little rain, cool temperatures
by TOM WALKER
KELOWNA – You could almost hear cherry growers heave a collective sigh of relief as the weather turned clear and warm moving into the second week of July, allowing the Okanagan cherry crop to come in on time and without rain damage.
“Early varieties are coming in at or slightly above estimate,” says Hank Markgraf, grower services manager for BC Tree Fruits Ltd. “I think the rest of the fruit will come in on that vein and we will easily get between 11 and 12 million pounds.” While there’s always a
chance for bad weather, Markgraf says growers have been super lucky this year. “We had a beautiful bloom
in May and then the cool June slowed things down, which is pretty normal,” he says. “But we were about seven to 10 days ahead after bloom so that was okay.” Markgraf says that maturity
dates have ended up only slightly ahead of last year. Pickers began harvesting early varieties June 22-23 in the Osoyoos area. While there was some rain
in June, conditions have been average. “We have had rain events,
but several have been at night, which has helped,” he says. Indeed, some valley
residents woke early to the sound of helicopters flying the morning of July 7 following some 8 mm of rain overnight. Some growers hire helicopters to fly over orchards, creating a downdraft that blows rain off the trees. It’s only one tool that’s available, however. “If growers did a
reasonable job of going through with their tractor- drawn wind machines, blow- drying at night and into the morning, I think they were okay,” says Markgraf. Skeena is one variety that splits easily after rain but cool overnight temperatures may have helped limit splitting after the July 7 rainfall. Rain during a hot day or warm night followed by a hot day typically increases the rate at which cherries absorb water after a rainstorm. Since the skin doesn’t expand, it
splits. “The temperature dropped
10 degrees in an hour and a half [on July 7],” says Markgraf. The next morning, damage
in surrounding orchards was minimal. “I looked at a couple of
Skeena blocks near my home orchard and there was hardly any damage and I checked a Lapin block and I couldn’t see any damage at all,” he says.
Research continues
Scientists at the Summerland Research and Development Centre are also working to develop later ripening cherry varieties that avoid the June rains. They also help extend the marketing window, allowing growers to take advantage of markets after Washington’s crop finishes. “We will be picking pretty
hardcore in the Kelowna area through to the end of July,” says Markgraf. Growers with later varieties such as Sentennials and higher-elevation Staccatos (both Summerland varieties) will continue picking into August. Creston Valley growers will be picking into late August. Markgraf says the industry continues to expand. “There [is] still a fair
amount of cherries going in with support of the provincial government replant program,” he notes. Many growers are also planting bare ground that has either been in forage or
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Some cherry growers in the central Okanagan hired helicopters to blow rainwater off their crops in early July. A summer storm blew through just as harvest was getting underway. TOM WALKER PHOTO
otherwise out of fruit for decades. Other growers are looking further afield, with one planning an orchard east of Kamloops along the South Thompson River. “There could be weather challenges over there,” notes Markgraf. “I’m not sure climate change is happening that fast, but I know they will make it work.” The apple crop is also
looking promising. “There is less fruit out
there than last year, but we were battling too many apples of too small a size all last season,” Markgraf explains. “We would rather have 10 size 88s (just over 3 inches) than 100 size 125s (2.75 inches). The bigger apples bring a better price.”
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2019 Tree Fruit Replant Program ANNOUNCEMENT:
Application forms and the updated requirements of the 2019 Tree Fruit Replant Program are now available on the BCFGA website,
www.bcfga.com.
Project applications (along with the required Replant Plan) will be received between August 1, 2018 and October 31, 2018. Please avoid the last minute rush and get your application in early. An horticultural advisor is required to sign individual applications for the 2019 Tree Fruit Replant Program. The following information will be provided to assist growers in completing applications.
a. A list of qualified advisors. b. Program operational policies. c. A series of reports on replanting and variety performance and selection are available and should be referenced when preparing a Tree Fruit Replant Program Application.
The Tree Fruit Replant Program provides funding for qualified projects. Project approval is subject to funding availability and is allocated by the date of receipt of applications. Applications will be subject to a horticultural review.
The Tree Fruit Replant Program is a 7 year program, funded by the Province of BC.
1.877.533.1789
Contact@AgSafeBC.ca www.AgSafeBC.ca
BC FRUIT GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION 1-800-619-9022 (ext 1) email:
replant@bcfga.com
www.bcfga.com
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