What a Crop Advisory Visit Actually Covers During Strawberry Season

People call us asking what they're paying for when they book a crop advisory visit. Fair question. Here's what a typical strawberry visit looks like in our program, from the first walk to the written recommendation you take home.

What happens in the field

We start with a walk of the whole block, not just the edges by the road. Pest pressure and nutrient problems tend to show up in low spots, around the drip line ends, and where the bed height changes. We look at crown health, flower and fruit counts per plant, and any signs of botrytis, powdery mildew, spider mites, or thrips. Scouting takes time, and it's the part most people underestimate.

We also pull leaf tissue samples from representative plants, usually the youngest fully expanded leaves. Those go out for analysis, and the results come back in a few days. Soil moisture readings at a couple of depths tell us whether your irrigation schedule is keeping up with the crop.

What you get afterward

The written recommendation covers three things: what we found, what to do about it this week, and what to watch for in the next two weeks. Spray recommendations list the product, the rate per acre, the pre-harvest interval, and the reason for it. If a product is restricted or you're close to a harvest window, we say so.

Feed recommendations are tied to the tissue results and the stage of the crop. We'll tell you when a nitrogen pass makes sense and when it would just push vegetative growth at the expense of fruit.

How often to book

During peak season, most of our growers book every seven to ten days. Less than that and you miss fast-moving problems like mites or botrytis after a rain event. More than that rarely adds much unless you're dealing with an active issue.

If you're new to our program, call the office and we'll set up a first visit and go over the recommendation format before you commit to a schedule.