Heavy Rains Flood Northwest Michigan Orchards

By Andi Anderson

Heavy rainfall in northwest Michigan has created difficult conditions for fruit growers as orchards and fields remain covered with standing water.

Warmer temperatures finally arrived during the past week, but the region has not yet experienced true summer weather.

Daytime highs moved slightly above 60 degrees on a few days, while nights remained cool. High humidity and melting snow also caused widespread fog around orchard areas.

Rainfall has been especially important this month. The Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center received more than six inches of rain in April, with a large share of that total falling in only a few days.

This heavy rain, combined with melting snow, caused flooding in orchards and fields and led to flash flood warnings across parts of northern Michigan. In many areas, water has remained standing longer than usual, even though local sandy soils normally drain quickly.

These conditions are creating major challenges for growers as spring crop development begins to speed up. After a long cold period, warmer weather is now pushing trees forward quickly.

Growers are preparing for early season fungicide sprays and dormant oil applications, but flooded orchard floors are making it hard to move equipment into the fields. Wet conditions are also limiting pruning cleanup and other spring orchard work.

Fruit development varies across Michigan. In some southern areas, pears are already at first white and peach bloom has begun. In northwest Michigan, development is still behind, but green tissue is starting to appear in pears, tart cherries, and some apple varieties. Honeycrisp apples are still mostly dormant.

The wet weather has also raised concerns about apple scab. With green tissue now showing and more rain expected, growers may have very small spray windows. Early protection is important to lower disease pressure later in the season.

Advice from specialists also points to the value of early dormant oil sprays for pests such as San Jose scale and woolly apple aphid. However, growers must be careful with timing, especially in sweet cherries, because oils can damage green tissue.

Looking ahead, more showers and storms are possible, followed by cooler weather and even frost risks early next week. For now, growers remain focused on protecting crops and waiting for better field conditions.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-jj-gouin