North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Stephen Sadler" <Docshiva@Docshiva.org>]

The botrytitis that infects raspberries overwinters on the plant, and infects the flowers.  It is also present in the air, and on the ground – it can splash up from the ground during watering.  After infecting the flowers, it colonizes the green fruit, but does not become active until conditions (moisture, temperature, damage) are favorable.  You can apply fungicides at blossom time, but once the canes are actively fruiting you’re unlikely to be able to change the level of colonization already present.  The mold is not a bad thing until it becomes active, then it ruins the fruit.  It’s not harmful to eat – just, you know, disgusting. 

Proper culture is preferable to fungicide use.  Make sure that the fruit can stay fairly dry on the plants by not impeding the natural movement of air.  Space the plants far enough apart, keep weeds low or absent, and don’t fertilize in early spring – nitrogen encourages leaf formation, and excessive leaf formation shades the fruit so they don’t dry as easily.

I fuzzily recall that botrytis cultures just as easily outdoors whether there are active colonies nearby or not, so a 10 foot toss from your plants should be plenty.  Still, it seems right to get the moldy berries pretty far away. 

 

Stephen

---

From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of list@ginda.us
Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2006 6:24 AM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] In praise of Raspberries

 

 

 

Good point - and the motive for moving my asparagus is that it makes picking the raspberries difficult and uncomfortable on that side. But as you say, picking enough to eat now is basically pleasurable, and they are a great backyard crop.

 

I have a question, how far "away" do you throw moldy berries? I usually pick them and toss them into the nearby shrubs (5'-10' from the raspberries), but I've been wondering if I ought to move them farther from the berry bushes.

 

Thanks,

Ginda