{"id":1254,"date":"2026-04-28T15:44:57","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T19:44:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.caes.uga.edu\/blueberry\/?p=1254"},"modified":"2026-04-30T11:51:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T15:51:40","slug":"recovering-after-hurricane-helene-strategies-for-blueberry-growers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/site.caes.uga.edu\/blueberry\/2026\/04\/recovering-after-hurricane-helene-strategies-for-blueberry-growers\/","title":{"rendered":"Recovering\u00a0After Hurricane Helene:\u00a0Strategies for Blueberry\u00a0Growers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Horticulture Department, University of Georgia, 2360 Rainwater Road, Tifton, GA 3793-5766<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene crossed South Georgia after making landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm, producing wind gusts near 88 mph and causing severe damage to blueberry farms across the region. Numerous blueberry fields were damaged, with bushes uprooted or leaning toward the ground, and many branches broken. Farms were also left withoutelectricity for several days (Fig. 1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Three<\/a>
Fig. 1. Blueberry field damage by Hurricane Helene, Pierce County, Georgia. Pictures taken on October 3, 2024.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Damage to plant structural organs, such as roots or crowns, can reduce water and nutrient uptake, leading to poor growth and yield reduction. Canopy damage negatively affects flower bud formation, especially when it occurs before bud initiation, potentially reducing yield the following season. Despite the threats and damage natural disasters can impose on blueberry fields, there are very few science-based recommendations available to guide growers in protecting their crops from natural disasters, such as hurricanes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recovery Options After Hurricane Damage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Following Hurricane Helene, many growers attempted to recover damaged plants by lifting and supporting leaning bushes using wood or PVC stakes and adding soil around the base of the bushes. Growers also pruned damaged plants to stimulate regrowth and applied humic acid and plant growth regulators to enhance the recovery process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the Study Was Conducted<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This study was designed to evaluate whether the practices stated above (staking, adding soil, pruning, and using biostimulants) enhance plant recovery post-hurricane damage. The main objective was to test whether adding humic acid and plant growth regulators could enhance recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trial was established in two commercial farms in Bacon County, Georgia, evaluating five fields representing different cultivars (\u2018Farthing\u2019, \u2018Legacy\u2019, and \u2018Optimus\u2019).and production age, based on establishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three approaches (treatments) were tested:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1.  Control: undamaged plants requiring no intervention.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Mechanical support (Fig. 2): staking plants to stabilize leaning plants.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Mechanical support combined with the use of humic acids and plant growth regulators(Fig. 3): humic acids are often advertised as agents to improve soil structure, nutrient availability, and root development. Plant growth regulators such as IBA and cytokinin can stimulate root and shoot growth. Together, these products could rebuild damaged root systems and restore canopy growth.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Plant recovery was monitored by measuring:<\/p>\n\n\n\n