What's happening in the field?

At the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station

Raspberries rotated into the high tunnel today

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This will be the raspberry projects third year of production. We thinned the shoots in the bagged raspberries earlier (April 13) but did so again when we moved them from the field to the high tunnel. We waited until we saw a few of the primocanes with flowers on them. It looks like thinning the shoots twice before putting them in the tunnel may be necessary after the establishment year. We thinned the canes to 5 per bag (5 per square foot).

Here are the raspberries in the field before moving.
Here are the raspberries in the field before moving.
We thinned the shoots to 5 per bag.
We thinned the shoots to 5 per bag.
It took about an hour and a half with our crew thinning 4 bags at a time. The shoots we removed were raked up and transported to the compost pile.
It took about an hour and a half with our crew thinning 4 bags at a time. The shoots we removed were raked up and transported to the compost pile.
Here is a raspberry plant before thinning.
Here is a raspberry plant before thinning.
Here is the plant after thinning to 5 canes. Managing cane density is important in Spotted Wing Drosophila damage.
Here is the plant after thinning to 5 canes. Managing cane density is important in Spotted Wing Drosophila control.
Here we are in the tunnel after putting the irrigation back in place. From left to right - Rachel Veenstra, Lisa Roberts, Kelsey Goad, Shelia Long, Emma Thornhill and Jennifer Morganthaler.
Here we are in the tunnel after putting the irrigation back in place. From left to right – Rachel Veenstra, Lisa Roberts, Kelsey Goad, Shelia Long, Emma Thornhill and Jennifer Morganthaler.