Southwest Florida blueberry farms bounce back after hurricanes, freeze

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, (WINK)—When people think of produce grown in Southwest Florida, citrus usually comes to mind. But blueberries are becoming a growing industry in the region, even as farmers deal with the challenges of extreme weather.

At Blueberry Bunch Farm, blueberries have been grown for nearly 20 years. The farm now has close to 50,000 blueberry bushes, ranging from newly planted shrubs to mature plants filled with fruit.

Right now marks the peak of blueberry season.

“Right now, it is peak season. It's when we have the ripest berries. You still see a mix of blue and green, but lots of blue ones,” said U-pick manager Kris Velasco.

Warm weather helps berries ripen

Temperature plays a big role in how quickly blueberries ripen.

Velasco said blueberries thrive in full sunlight and warm conditions, especially when nighttime temperatures stay mild.

“Blueberries need full sunlight, and they like warm weather,” Velasco said. “When there is more warm weather, they will ripen faster. We need nighttime temperatures above 60 degrees.”

Freeze followed hurricane recovery

Like many farms in Southwest Florida, Blueberry Bunch Farm has faced several weather challenges in recent months.

Velasco said the farm was already working to recover from recent hurricanes when a freeze hit the region in January. The farm experienced three nights of temperatures dropping into the upper 20s.

To protect the plants, workers used overhead sprinklers designed to prevent freezing. But strong winds made it harder for the system to work effectively.

“Really strong winds, especially the first night,” Velasco said. “The wind was blowing the water on and off, so we also got a lot of wind damage from the first night.”

Despite the damage, Velasco said he remains optimistic about the future.

New varieties offer hope for the future

The farm is now planting new varieties of blueberries designed to produce larger berries and ripen earlier in the season.

“A lot of them are nicer, bigger, and coming in earlier,” Velasco said.

Blueberry Bunch Farm is open to the public for U-pick blueberry picking Thursday through Sunday, allowing visitors to pick berries directly from the bushes.