Weather conditions in 2006 were not kind to Montmorency cherries in some areas of Michigan’s Great Lakes region. The two primary fruit quality problems experienced there were wind whip and soft fruit. High winds before harvest have caused damage to fragile cherries since commercial production began in the late 1800s. Today, Michigan growers routinely employ several orchard practices to reduce wind damage: windbreak plantings; closer tree spacing in combination with pruning techniques that create a hedge-row effect; and gibberellic acid applications that enhance interior fruiting. Advances in electronic sorting also help to minimize the impact from wind damage. Soft fruit […]