North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Thomas Olenio <tolenio@sentex.net>]

Hello,

It is my understanding that "degree days" are a standard measure, usually 
applied to field crops.

I am not sure about predicting harvest based on degree days, too many 
variables.

Say it was warm, but raining regularly.  I have seen rain drive nitrogen out 
of the soil leaving
growing corn yellowish, and stunting it's growth.  This stunting, and how 
long it takes to
recover from it, will affect harvest.

I think that degree days will give you some window on harvest, but not a 
reliable one.

Even in the same 100 acre field, sown with the same seed, you will have some 
corn ready later
than others.

Some of the latest technology is soil testing in a 3' gridwork across the 
field.  These results
are plugged into an onboard tractor computer, and the a GPS system in 
conjunction with the
tractor, regulates the nutrients delivered to the field, based on the 
specific soil testing for
every area of the field.

With all this, farmers still test corn for moisture content prior to "field 
corn" combining.

I bet you will not even need a driver of the tractor soon.

Later,
Tom

Mark Garrison wrote:

> Sam wrote:
> > It is not only the length of season but the degree days of the season.
>
> I've been wondering about degree days as a way of predicting harvest time,
> specifically in my case blueberries.  Whether I could build up a record
> year-to-year that would enable me to say that I can expect fruit to begin
> ripening after x number of degree days from Jan 1, Feb 1 or whatever.  Is
> that feasible?  Also, I wonder if there is available a historic record of
> degree days.  I see the weather service on its website shows heating degree
> days, cooling degree days, and corn ripening degree days for locations
> around the country.  Are any of these measures the same as what we are
> discussing here?
>
> Mark Garrison, RI zone 6
>
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