With local crops producing ahead of schedule due to above-average temperatures, MCC’s Agriculture and Life Sciences Institute is advising consumers to purchase strawberries sooner rather than later. The local strawberry crop is being harvested about 10 days earlier than average. Some growers indicate that this is the earliest they have harvested in over 20 years, with early and mid-season varieties well ahead of a normal season.
Once in bloom, a plant will typically produce an edible berry in about 30 days. When under stress during kingberry production, strawberry plants often compensate by producing a significantly larger number of additional, but smaller, fruit often associated with second and third picks of a variety. In Greater Rochester, many operations started harvesting during the first week of June.
The first pick of strawberries, primarily kingberries, is much lighter than normal this year due to a long period of damaging and killing frost during bloom and fruit set. Several operations reported significant frost damage even with frost protection. Temperatures during bloom and fruit set were reported as low as 22 degrees -- causing damage to the bloom regardless of frost control methods.
Despite an early start, the season is expected to run four to five weeks for most growers. Operations closer to Lake Ontario are expected to wind down during the first week of July.
Bob King, Ph.D.
Agriculture and Life Sciences Institute
06/17/2010 |