Blackberry School
University of Arkansas
Horticulture extension specialists at the University of Arkansas, Dr. Amanda McWhirt and Dr. Jackie Lee, conducted a Blackberry School in Arkansas through the early part of 2017.
Recordings from these events were used to hold live webinars to train county agents in the fall of 2017. Funding was provided by the Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium for this training.
The course consists of four classes timed to match the four seasons of the year. Each class is made up of 3-4 short talks that focus on the activities and best-management practices that should be conducted in blackberry production during that season.
Fall Class
(Webinar held November 16, 2017)
#10 Interactive Fruit Budgets, Leah English, Dr. Jennie Popp
#11 Produce Safety, Dr. Amanda Perez
#12 Weed Management in Blackberry, Nilda Burgos
#13 Soil and Plant Tissue Nutrient Sampling of Blackberry, A. McWhirt
Identifying Anthracnose in Blackberry, Sherrie Smith
Summer Class
(Webinar held November 9, 2017)
#7 High Tunnel Blackberry Production, Dr. Elena Garcia
#8 Consumer Preferences and Postharvest Handling, Dr. Renee Threlfall
#9 Summer Tipping, Fruit Disorders, and Irrigation of Blackberry, Amanda McWhirt
Early Summer Pruning of Floricane-Fruiting Blackberries, Taunya Ernst
Spring Class
(Webinar held November 2, 2017)
#4 Fertility Management and Trellising of Blackberry, Amanda McWhirt
#5 Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) & Broad Mite Control, Dr. Donn Johnson
#6 Pesky Pests Spring, Dr. Jackie Lee
Spotted Wing Drosophila ID and Trapping in Blackberry, Dr. Donn Johnson
Winter Class
(Webinar held October 26, 2017)