After a warm winter, it is clear that we are racing into spring! The current bud stages are estimated at 14-17 days ahead of this same time period in 2023 and things are changing quickly out there. We had a cold start last year and then a very hot spell in 2023 that led to an early season at harvest time. This year - we are looking at mild but wet weather as we approach and reach bloom in the growing areas. 

Remember there are some maintenance activities to do to set your BCDAS account up for success: 

If you have not already set your green tip - please go into the apple scab model and set it. Worst case, you missed it for your block, set it for April 1 to start the model. It is scab season, with infection periods already occuring in a number of areas this season. 

Fireblight - set your infection history from last year (present and active, not active).  The risk of fireblight is likely to be high this year. We had high numbers of blocks with infections last season and as we approach bloom - the risk of rainfall or dew wetting the blossoms paired with warm weather can lead to devastating infections! Be ready to cover the bloom

Cherry Powdery Mildew - set your budburst date and first irrigation (thoroughly wetting the trunks) ... irrigation might not happen right away, but get prepared with the bud burst date which should have been sometime in mid-late March for most growing areas.