Rain & Cherries

Rain & Cherries. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

Normally when you think about growing crops and tree fruit the word “rain” is a good thing. But when cherries get to a certain point a good rain can be a very bad thing. The northwest cherry crop has been progressing nicely this spring and if the tree in my front yard is any indication it won’t be long before picking will begin. But on Monday a steady rain came in from the coast and continued to drench the region even into Tuesday. Rain on ripe cherries will cause them to swell and split rendering them ruined. Northwest Ag’s Lacy Gray has more.

GRAY: It will take a few days for growers to access if the rains did much damage. According to NW Cherries BJ Thurlby they are really only worried about Chelan's right now but one thing is helping to minimize the danger and that is the cool temperatures. Thurlby says they should have an idea of how the crop fared in the next 48 hours.  Most growers think we will be fine but then some obviously are nervous enough to bring out helicopters to dry off the orchards.

Thanks Lacy. This year’s cherry crop has been running a bit ahead of schedule due to a mild winter and spring but it still not a good situation for growers in the early district and again, we will know more in a few days. Fortunately as is typical in eastern Washington, a stiff wind came in as the rain moved out to help dry things off.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.