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LinkedInPosts Tagged: blackberry
Black Friday: Bumble Bees and Blackberries
"Black Friday" means different things to each of us, but when I think of "Black Friday," I think of black bumble bees nectaring on blackberry blossoms in Berkeley. Bumble bees on blackberry blossoms in Berkeley. Talk about alliteration! Specifically, I think of the yellow-faced bumble...
A bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, nectaring on a blackberry blossom in Berkeley. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Taking flight, the yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, seeks another blackberry blossom in Berkeley. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Use of glyphosate (Roundup) to control field bindweed in blackberries
From the UC Strawberries and Caneberries blog :: Sept. 11, 2013 Field bindweed, Convolvulus arvensis, also known locally as morning glory, is a persistent weed pest in blackberries grown on the Central Coast of the California. Much of this stems from the long period of time between plant...
Photo 5: Field bindweed plants two weeks after having been treated with Roundup saturated sponges clipped onto individual leaves.
Photo 6: Bindweed vine arising from plants treated by ropewick application interspersed among healthy blackberry canes.
Photo 7: Glyphosate damage on blackberry—very sensitive
Farm advisor's blog generates news coverage
Santa Cruz UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor Mark Bolda reported in his blog, "Strawberries and Caneberries," that a local blackberry farm sustained severe damage from the Light Brown Apple Moth. According to Bolda's report, 20 percent of the crop was lost.
"This information is being provided in the interest of emphasizing to the grower community that this pest is not only a regulatory problem now, but is capable of becoming an economic problem as well," Bolda wrote.
On Monday, a story about the LBAM infestation in blackberries appeared in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. It said USDA inspectors discovered the problem in May, and it came to light after an "agricultural official posted it on his blog earlier this month."
Reporter Donna Jones noted that she was unable to reach Bolda for comment on Monday. The Santa Cruz Sentinel story quoted USDA spokesman Larry Hawkins as saying the LBAM infestation on the blackberry farm is a "unique situation."
"We've seen large numbers of light brown apple moth but before now there has not been noticeable damage. Now there is. In the case of this particular field over in Santa Cruz (County), the grower is not being able to market a substantial amount of the fruit. That's economic damage," Hawkins was quoted.
Blog more immediate than newsletter
I was able to reach Bolda this morning. He said his blog is becoming a useful conduit of information to his clientele.
"I can include color pictures and I can post information immediately," Bolda said. "Our newsletter won't come out for two months and the pictures will be black and white."
The blog also permits Bolda to track his readership through Google Analytics, which tells him where his readers are located, how long they looked at posts and which posts are the most popular. "It helps me address the needs of the audience," he said.
The blog also offers the opportunity for dialog. Bolda's LBAM post generated several comments, including a lengthy one that expressed skepticism about CDFA's LBAM eradication efforts.
"I don't want to get into long drawn-out fights," Bolda said. "I do monitor the comments. But there are different opinions and I think they could be a good source of information."
Blackberry damaged, presumably by LBAM.
