GRAND FORKS – When cool weather lingers through spring and when it arrives in the fall, irrigation is the furthest thing from the minds of many growers. That shouldn’t be the case, says irrigation designer Andrew Bennett. “It’s been a cold April – nobody’s thinking about irrigation,” he says. “[But] start early, and make sure …
CROPS
DAS expands to Kootenays
The BC Decision Aid System, one of the best resources available for providing time-sensitive information on managing pests, is expanding to the Kootenays. Five new provincially funded weather stations in the Creston area will collect and integrate data used to forecast insect population trends so orchardists can anticipate and respond to pest management issues. An …
Weather chills BC berries
A cool spring has put a damper on this year’s strawberry crop, but growers hope a delayed start to the season will lead to a longer finish for what’s traditionally the first of the summer berries. Normally, Maan Farms in Abbotsford would be two-thirds through its first pick by early June. This year, cool temperatures …
Ocean Spray takes honours
The annual ranking of Canada’s most-trusted brands by the University of Victoria’s Gustavson School of Business held special honours for one company with strong connections to BC growers. Ocean Spray took top honours in the beverage category and ranked 43 overall in this year’s study. This is up from 140th place last year. The survey …
Japanese beetle fight expands
The fight against Japanese beetle in BC has expanded. A federal order has expanded the areas regulated to limit the spread of Japanese beetle, which was discovered in new areas of the Lower Mainland last year. The regulated area in Vancouver now extends west to Bleinheim Street and south to 49th Avenue. This responds to …
Apiarists fear heavy winter losses
BURNABY – Beekeepers across Canada were in for a shock when they opened their hives this spring to check on colony health. The Canadian Honey Council (CHC) confirms severe losses from Alberta to Quebec. “Nationally, it seems to be very high. We may come close to 40%,” says CHC executive director Rod Scarlett. “But on …