Strawberries and Caneberries

I've been entertaining a fair number of calls from worried growers, farm managers and others in regards to the warmer than normal temperatures this year at the strawberry plant nurseries up in Northern California.

Biodegradable mulches are a promising alternative to traditional polyethene plastic mulches that reduce plastic waste generation and provide opportunities to reduce the costs of mulch removal and disposal.

Central Coast growers and support staff should be looking to clear their calendars this coming October 8 for a Zoom call sponsored by the California Strawberry Commission and featuring plant pathologists Peter Henry and Akif Eskalen, myself and plant breeder Steve Knapp.

A very special friend of our family celebrated an important birthday this past week, and brought over two of the chocolate covered strawberries she received as a present on this big day.

Here's one for all of you that I just can't figure out. Symptoms (see Photo 1 below) are on fruiting primocane blackberry, under tunnels. Maybe 5% of leaves affected, mostly limited to the bottom third of the hedgerow but issue does occur in bunches.