2020-2021 CATALOG
E U R O P E/M I D D LE EAST/N O RTH AF R I CA
EMEnA Commercial Blueberry Growers’ Edition
A Salute to the Blueberry Growers of Europe, the Middle East & North Africa.
Delivering Healthful Crops to Consumers.
MISSION
WITH
Building A World Better Blueberries
Through Exceptional Plants,
Relationships, Innovation
AND
Customer Success.
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Bertrand Guély, Regional Director, Europe, the Middle East & North Africa
From Our Regional Director in Spain
As regional markets in Europe and beyond continue to experience increased consumer demand for highquality blueberries, Fall Creek reaffirms our commitment to breeding varieties which deliver on this need for growers in all chill levels. All our new varieties go through extensive trialing and evaluation prior to release to assure alignment with grower needs from the economics of their management, yield, harvest costs, and post-harvest characteristics. We remain steadfast in our commitment to bring you the very best new cultivars that ultimately deliver an exceptional eating experience to consumers. Talk with our grower support team to learn more about our breeding and new variety introductions. Our family-owned, 40+ year-old company has always been, and continues to be, focused on delivering the highest quality blueberry genetics, plants, and grower support. In the past year, we’ve made big steps in pursuit of this mandate to enhance our services by establishing a dedicated Applied Research team. This specialized staff is deployed in key locations around the world to research solutions to challenges specific to optimizing blueberry variety performance in all core growing environments, including the three chill zones of EMEnA. These efforts are intended to accelerate access to the best variety-specific management practices to optimize yield, fruit quality, and your overall success with new varieties. We want to contribute more to your success through live, local support. EMEnA is a complex and diverse region, with different considerations for growers in each country. So, we’ve expanded our Sales & Grower Support team with new members in Morocco and eastern Europe, including Polish and Russian speakers. We are positioning to more effectively serve new regions beyond our traditional geographies such as the black sea, central Asia, and greater Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. From field planning, preparation, variety selection, and care techniques to market intelligence, post-harvest and beyond, Fall Creek is here to help enable success. Talk to us early to take advantage of our expertise in all facets of your project planning and to ensure that the varieties and plants you need are ready when you are. We also consult on future crop planning to meet the needs of your retail customers for fruit that travels well, with low shrinkage as it moves through the supply chain. Another way we are ensuring high quality is through our clean plant program. We continually work to ensure clean plant stock throughout Fall Creek’s nurseries. We recently upgraded our efforts to ensure clean plant stock throughout Fall Creek’s nurseries. All our plants originate from tested mother-plant stock and are produced using a meticulous tissue culture process and are propagated and grown in our clean plant systems to ensure delivery of healthy plant material. If you are already a customer, our global Fall Creek family sincerely thanks you for your business and for the trust you’ve placed in our company, our products, and our people. And if you are new to working with Fall Creek, welcome! We look forward to earning your business and to serving you for many years to come.
– Bertrand Guély, Regional Director, EMEnA
Fall Creek - U.S. | Fall Creek - México | Fall Creek - Perú | Fall Creek - Spain | Fall Creek - The Netherlands | Fall Creek - South Africa E-mail: blueberries@fallcreeknursery.com | www.fallcreeknursery.com
FR O M O U R R E G I O NAL D I R E CTO R I N S PAI N
On behalf of the Fall Creek team, I am pleased to present our latest offering of blueberry varieties, nursery products, and services in this Fall Creek catalog for growers throughout Europe, the Middle East and northern Africa (EMEnA).
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Chill Level Requirements
Index of Blueberry Plants
R E Q U I R E M E N T S L E V E L C H I L L
NEW!
• • Calypso 6 • Camellia 4 • Cargo 7 • Centra Blue 8 • Clockwork 5 • Draper 6 • Duke 5 • Katahdin 6 • Last Call 7 • Liberty 7 • Miss Alice Mae ‘TH-921’ 4 • Miss Jackie ‘TH-917’ 5 • Ochlockonee 8 • Overtime 8 • Sky Blue 8 • Suziblue 4 • Titan ‘T-959’ 8 • Top Shelf 6 • Valor ‘ZF08-070’ 6 • Ventura 4 • Winter Bell 4 •
EXAMPLES OF GROWING REGIONS
SEASONS
High Chill
42º +
4 distinct seasons, cold winters
Oregon & Michigan (U.S.), Southern Chile, Northern & Eastern Europe, New Zealand
Blueberries grown here are fully deciduous, have concentrated spring bloom period, & concentrated harvest.
Aurora Blue Crop Duke Last Call Liberty
Mid Chill
34 - 45º
Longer growing season, temperate winters & hotter summers
North Carolina & Northern California (U.S.), Southern France, Asturias region of Spain
Be mindful of spring frosts & unusual winter cold. Varieties are often vigorous given the longer growing season. Both deciduous & semi-deciduous varieties.
Legacy
Long growing seasons & mild winters
California, Florida & Southern Georgia (U.S.), Northern Argentina, South Spain, Morocco
Most varieties still require some minimal chill hours for a “resting period.” Watch for spring and winter freezes. Most often crops are managed to achieve summer growing & a brief winter resting period.
No winter period
Central Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Indonesia, SE Asia, South Yunnan (China), Kenya
This category splits deciduous & evergreening systems. Blueberries are managed as evergreen with no dormancy. Plants grow year-round. Often requires protective infrastructure & careful management to hit optimum harvest windows.
Low Chill
No Chill
28 - 36º
28 º & lower
2 © 2020 Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc.
GROWING NOTES
EXAMPLES OF VARIETIES
LATITUDE
Blue Ribbon
5
®
Here are some basic traditional distinctions between these four classifications. CLASSIFICATION
ON WEBSITE
Aurora 7 Blue Ribbon
Blueberry breeding in recent years has resulted in the introduction of more “interspecific hybrid” varieties, crosses of Southern and Northern Highbush varieties, which further complicates the idea of staying within traditional classifications. The move of blueberries into tropical regions adds an additional dimension of complexity to our nomenclature. More than five years ago, Fall Creek began shifting to updated terminology that is more reflective, not only of where they are grown (region and climate), but also how they are grown. These categories are No Chill, Low Chill, Mid Chill and High Chill and they are loosely based on the chill level requirements of the varieties – although that is not the only criteria one must consider. Most blueberry varieties require some level of chill hours in the winter months in order to set buds for flowers and ultimately fruit, as well ensuring timely, uniform leaf break. However, more varieties are emerging that can be successfully grown, if managed properly, in No Chill regions – often through “evergreening.” Evergreening blueberries is a way of managing blueberries through selective harvest and pruning cycles to keep the bushes nearly continually producing crops. (See page 18 for contact information to discuss details.)
PAGE #
BLUEBERRY PLANT
Most blueberry varieties require some level of chill in the winter months ensuring timely, uniform bud break and balanced growth after cold period.
NEW!
Introducing Our New Pot Made of 100% Recycled Material for a Better Plant and a Better Planet.
Star Ventura
Biloxi Ventura AtlasBlue® ‘FCM12-045’
www.fallcreeknursery.com
See page 9 for more information.
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Chill Level Requirements As you begin planning your blueberry project, it is important to talk with our Sales & Grower Support Representatives early. They are experts, backed by our global Grower Support Team, and can bring much clarity to variety selection as well as technical expertise and market intelligence to your overall project planning.
FI NO SE EE LV
DK
LT
UK
IE
BY NL BE
FR
PL
DE
LU
CZ SI
UA
SK
AT
CH
IT
PT
RU
HU
MD RO
HR
BA
RS
ME XK AL
ES
KZ
BG
GE
MK
AZ
TR
EL
TN MA DZ
EG SOUTH AFRICA
MU SN
GH
NI CR KY
TA
HIGH CHILL ZM
MZ
MID CHILL ZI
LOW CHILL
NM
NO CHILL SA
These regions are merely an approximation and are not intended to provide specific boundary lines. A variety of factors including geography, landmasses, microclimates and more can cause variances in chill regions. Please speak with one of our representatives for more information. Š 2020 Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc.
AL Albania AT Austria AZ Azerbaijan BY Belarus BE Belgium BA Bosnia & Herzegovina BG Bulgaria CH Switzerland CR Cameroon CZ Czech Republic DE Germany DK Denmark DZ Algeria EE Estonia EG Egypt EL Greece ES Spain FI Finland FR France GE Georgia GH Ghana HR Croatia HU Hungary IS Iceland IE Ireland IT Italy KY Kenya KZ Kazakhstan LV Latvia LT Lithuania LU Luxembourg MA Morocco MK Macedonia MD Moldova ME Montenegro MU Mauritania MZ Mozambique NI Nigeria NL Netherlands NM Namibia NO Norway PL Poland PT Portugal RO Romania RU Russia RS Serbia SA South Africa SE Sweden SI Slovenia SK Slovakia SN Senegal TA Tanzania TN Tunisia TR Turkey UA Ukraine UK United Kingdom XK Kosovo ZI Zimbabwe ZM Zambia
www.fallcreeknursery.com
From Our Regional Director in Spain
1
Chill Level Requirements / Index of Blueberry Plants 2-3 Variety Charts: No-Low Chill
4-5
Variety Charts: Mid & High Chill
5-7
Variety Charts: Rabbiteyes
8
Our New Recyclable Pot
9
Regional Insights Fall Creek Breeding
10-11 12
Plant Production Timeline & Advance Planning 13 How to Order
14
Our Products
15
Meet Our Fall Creek EMEnA Sales Team
16
R E Q U I R E M E N T S
IS
Table of Contents
L E V E L
The Chill Regions of Europe, the Middle East & North Africa
C H I L L
It is important to note that there are few absolutes in the criteria and classification details. These are just general guidelines and points of consideration. There are important nuances one must consider. However, by understanding the region in which you intend to grow, you can begin to identify specific varieties more suited to your growing environment – something simple Northern and Southern Highbush classifications could not tell you.
Territories & Representatives (Inside back cover)
The trademarks identified are the trademarks or registered trademarks of Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc. and its licensors.
3
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Variety Spotlight
The varieties featured in the following charts have been proven to be top sellers and leading performers. You will find some new introductions. For a full range of all varieties offered by Fall Creek, please see the complete list on our website or talk to our sales team.
No & Low Chill Varieties
2020
Ventura
NO-LOW CHILL EU Plant Patent 45349
Ventura is a Southern Highbush release from Fall Creek’s breeding program. It is a vigorous, upright plant that produces high yields of very early ripening fruit. The berries are medium to large size, firm, uniformly medium blue in color and ripen shortly after Snowchaser. Ventura is recommended for commercial plantings in all low chill growing regions that target the earliest high quality fresh markets. Chill hours – 200 hours or less.
L O W
!
&
EW
C H I L L
N
Winter Bell
LOW CHILL EU Plant Patent Pending
Winter Bell is a vigorous, high-yielding variety that has continued to be prolific in disease prone areas. This growerfriendly variety ripens before Jewel and with Springhigh. Initial trials show early season fruit is possible in primocane production systems; however, Winter Bell is best for low chill environments, not zero-chill. Winter Bell thrives in evergreen production systems, establishing quickly and rapidly becoming a strong, vigorous plant. The fruit can be acidic but is well balanced when harvested appropriately on mature plants.
Miss Alice Mae ‘TH-921’
LOW/MID CHILL
V A R I E T Y
C H A RT :
N O
EU Plant Patent Pending
Large
LOW/MID CHILL EU Plant Patent 40785
Suziblue is noted for its high yields (slightly higher than Star), easy picking, and uniform appearance. The cluster can potentially be tight, so we recommend picking early to keep the fruit from becoming deformed. The plant requires a limited pruning which makes it labor-effective. We recommend Suziblue for commercial plantings from the southern half of Portugal, South of Spain and Morocco. Chill hours - 400-500 hours.
L
Fresh
FRUIT QUALITIES:
Medium Blue, Firm
BUSH HABIT:
Upright, Vigorous
RIPENING SEASON:
Very Early
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Medium - Large
M-L
Fresh
FRUIT QUALITIES:
High Yield, Medium Blue, Slightly Tart
BUSH HABIT:
Upright, Vigorous
RIPENING SEASON:
Early
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Large
In some regions of southern Spain, Miss Alice Mae is an early-mid season variety ripening before Star and Suziblue when managed evergreen under tunnels. The large, firm fruit has very good flavor. With good lateral branching, not extremely vigorous like Ventura, we recommend a lighter pruning to produce fruit on the lateral wood that grows early in Spring, making its management easier in terms of pruning. Estimated chill hours: 100-400 hours. Under traditional open air and semideciduos systems, it shows very good ripening concentration. Estimated chill hours: 400600 hours.
Suziblue
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
L
Fresh
FRUIT QUALITIES:
Medium Blue, Firm
BUSH HABIT:
Upright, High Yields, Compact
RIPENING SEASON:
Early
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Medium - Large
M-L
Fresh
FRUIT QUALITIES:
Medium Blue, Firm, Mild Flavor
BUSH HABIT:
Rounded, Vigorous
RIPENING SEASON:
Early/Mid
Miss Jackie ‘TH-917’
4
LOW/MID CHILL EU Plant Patent Pending
Recent trials in Spain have shown Miss Jackie has a mid-late season behavior ripening after Star and Suziblue, potentially filling a good market gap after the main season. The fruit is medium to large and deep blue with an intense blueberry flavor and good external firmness and chewy texture. This is a mid-late season cultivar that should not be managed evergreen under plastic tunnels all winter. This cultivar would be more adapted to a traditional semideciduous, open air system where its chill requirements are estimated between 400 and 600 hours.
© 2020 Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc.
www.fallcreeknursery.com
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Medium - Large
FRUIT QUALITIES:
M-L
Fresh
Light Blue
BUSH HABIT:
Open, Upright, Vigorous
RIPENING SEASON:
Mid/Late
Contact your regional Fall Creek Sales representative regarding availability in your area.
LOW/MID CHILL EU Plant Patent 36995
Camellia is a late season variety selected for its uniformly large, sky blue berries that have excellent flavor and aroma. Our observations show that Camellia has a very vigorous habit and needs medium to light pruning to control vigor. Camellia produces heavy yields of fruit that holds in Huelva until beginning of July. Legacy is a good choice for pollination of Camellia. We recommend Camellia when a variety with superior flavor is desired. Chill hours - 200-800 hours.
Blue Ribbon
LOW/MID/HIGH CHILL EU Plant Patent 51757
Blue Ribbon is a Northern/Southern Highbush hybrid and is able to produce in cold climates as well as much warmer climates. A mid-late ripening variety for Southern Spain, Blue Ribbon is a heavy cropper that produces aromatic, light blue, pumpkin-shaped, crunchy berries with excellent resistance to high temperatures. We recommend a regular pruning of lateral branches to encourage vertical growth. We recommend this variety in south of Iberic peninsula and Morocco to extend season with a very high quality fruit. Chill hours - 200 or less.
PRIMARY USE:
BERRY SIZE:
Large - Very Large
Fresh
FRUIT QUALITIES:
Medium Blue, Firm, Mild Flavor
BUSH HABIT:
L-VL
Upright, Vigorous
RIPENING SEASON:
2 0 2 0 - 2 0 21
Camellia
Mid/Late
2020
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Large
FRUIT QUALITIES:
L
Fresh
Light Blue, Very Firm, Sweet, Fruity
BUSH HABIT:
Spreading, Long Laterals
RIPENING SEASON:
Mid/Late
Mid & High Chill Varieties BERRY SIZE:
Large
FRUIT QUALITIES:
L
Fresh, Processed
Light Blue, Firm, Mild Flavor
BUSH HABIT:
Stocky, Upright
Very Early
A release from Fall Creek, Clockwork is an early-mid season variety released primarily for machine harvest, high-quality, process markets. Clockwork has an upright growth habit, narrow crown, and a highly concentrated ripening period. The berries are medium sized, have intense flavor and aroma, and high brix. As a new introduction into the commercial marketplace with true potential for a single pick harvest, we recommend Clockwork for commercial plantings in the mid and north of Europe.
Blue Ribbon
MID-HIGH CHILL EU Plant Patent 51757
Blue Ribbon is an early-mid season variety released primarily for the high quality, hand harvesting, fresh market. Its most notable attributes are high yield and excellent taste of very firm, large berries when the plant is mature. Blue Ribbon’s fruit has impressive post-harvest shelf life. Planting is recommended in the North of Spain and Portugal and other regions with mild winters. Blue Ribbon’s plant habit is very bushy and spreading. The management improves a lot with trellising and pruning to encourage upright growth. This variety is only somewhat cold-hardy so we recommend planting in regions with winter temperatures not colder than -15°C.
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Medium
FRUIT QUALITIES:
M
Processed
Medium Blue, Firm, Intense Berry Flavor
BUSH HABIT:
Narrow Crown, Upright
RIPENING SEASON:
Early/Mid
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Large
FRUIT QUALITIES:
L
Fresh
Light Blue, Very Firm, Sweet, Fruity
&
HIGH CHILL EU Plant Patent 55031
M I D
Clockwork
H I G H
RIPENING SEASON:
C H A R T:
Duke, the leading, early ripening Northern Highbush variety, is known for its high yields of uniformly sized, quality fruit. Its mild flavor seems to improve in cold storage. Maintaining the plant vigor of Duke can be a challenge over a long period of time. Growers must choose a quality growing site and continually employ good cultural practices. Duke is one of the leading candidates for mechanical harvest.
C H I L L
PRIMARY USE:
HIGH CHILL
BUSH HABIT:
Spreading, Long Laterals
RIPENING SEASON:
Early/Mid
V A R I E T Y
Duke
Licensed to Fall Creek. Royalties apply. Please contact your regional Fall Creek representative for details. Video available online. Fall Creek may have additional varieties that are not listed in this catalog. Please talk to our sales team for more information. The variety information presented in these variety charts is based on observations and does not guarantee results. Plant performance as well as fruit quality and production will vary due to a variety of elements including climate, soil, horticultural practices, inherent traits, and other factors. Fall Creek recommends growers trial varieties in their own commercial grower operations.
© 2020 Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc.
www.fallcreeknursery.com
Contact your regional Fall Creek Sales representative regarding availability in your area.
5
Top Shelf
2 0 2 0 - 2 0 21
Top Shelf is notable for its very large, flavorful, firm fruit. This variety has become a favorite for many growers with its upright and easy-to-prune habit. The very large berry size is a key characteristic of this variety with consistent quality and fruit uniformity from the beginning of the harvest season to the end. The fruit is very attractive with berries that are flat, big and light blue with a lot of bloom. Top Shelf has shown susceptibility to Botriospheria, especially in growing conditions that are too wet with high applications of nitrogen. We have seen evidence that Top Shelf is more cold-hardy than expected with very little, if any, winter damage even with very low temperature of -20°C. We recommend Top Shelf for commercial plantings in Central Europe.
Draper
C H I L L
!
EW
H I G H
MID/HIGH CHILL U.S. Plant Patent 15,103
Still a standout variety, Draper has a compact habit, ripens early mid season, is highly productive as a young plant, and has outstanding fruit quality. With exceptionally firm berries and concentrated ripening periods, Draper maintains excellent postharvest color retention and superior shelf life. It is extremely fast to hand-pick and also has potential to be harvested by machine. Draper is often a leading choice for both fresh and IQF markets.
N
Katahdin
HIGH CHILL EU Plant Patent Pending
Katahdin is a more vigorous and cold-hardy improvement over Draper. The fruit quality is an improvement over Bluecrop and could be a successful alternative in areas with harsh winters. Katahdin has larger, firmer fruit than Bluecrop and a smaller picking scar. This variety was developed by Michigan State University who also released Draper, Calypso, and Legacy.
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Very Large
C H A RT: V A R I E T Y
VL
Fresh
FRUIT QUALITIES:
Light Blue, Firm, Juicy, Tropical Flavor
BUSH HABIT:
Vase Shape, Large Caliper Canes
RIPENING SEASON:
Early/Mid
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Large
L
Fresh, Processed
FRUIT QUALITIES:
Light Blue, Firm, Crisp, Sweet Flavor
BUSH HABIT:
Stocky, Round
RIPENING SEASON:
Early/Mid
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Large
L
Fresh
FRUIT QUALITIES:
Good Firmness and Flavor, Medium Blue
BUSH HABIT:
Upright, More Vigorous than Draper
RIPENING SEASON:
M I D
&
MID-HIGH CHILL EU Plant Patent 51758
Mid
Valor ® ‘ZF08-070’
HIGH CHILL EU Plant Patent Pending
Released in 2017, Fall Creek’s Valor ® stands out as a growers’ variety with high marks for cold hardiness, fruit sizing, ease of picking and yield. Flavor and firmness are more comparable to Legacy than Draper. The first commercial fields planted with Valor ® are relatively new, but initial observations confirm what has been observed at the Oregon Research Farm. The plants grow with a very vigorous, upright growth habit, are relatively easy to grow and productive. Valor ® berries are very large and are a customer favorite during field visits. The very young plants in commercial fields seem to withstand low winter temperatures without cold damage. Valor ® fills a need for a more cold-hardy, multi-purpose, mid-season variety in Central and Northern Europe.
Calypso
HIGH CHILL U.S. Plant Patent 25,995
This mid-late season variety, Calypso, is cold-hardy, easy to grow, and has high yields. The fruit maintains excellent firmness and flavor in extended cold storage for more than 30 days. Fruit size is uniform, with a large percentage of fruit in the 18-21mm range. It is recommended for commercial planting in high-chill growing areas where a mid-late season harvest is desired.
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Large - Very Large
FRUIT QUALITIES:
L-VL
Fresh, Processed
Uniform Fruit, Medium Firmness, Tart Initially but Very Sweet when Fully Ripe
BUSH HABIT:
Upright, Vigorous
RIPENING SEASON:
Mid
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Large
FRUIT QUALITIES:
L
Fresh, Processed
Light Blue, A Lot of Blooms, Good Flavor
BUSH HABIT:
Upright, Vigorous, Slightly Open
RIPENING SEASON:
Mid-Late
Licensed to Fall Creek. Royalties apply. Please contact your regional Fall Creek representative for details. Video available online. Fall Creek may have additional varieties that are not listed in this catalog. Please talk to our sales team for more information.
6
The variety information presented in these variety charts is based on observations and does not guarantee results. Plant performance as well as fruit quality and production will vary due to a variety of elements including climate, soil, horticultural practices, inherent traits, and other factors. Fall Creek recommends growers trial varieties in their own commercial grower operations.
© 2020 Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc.
www.fallcreeknursery.com
Contact your regional Fall Creek Sales representative regarding availability in your area.
Liberty is a late season, fast-growing, upright bush that does best with cool summer temperatures. The berries are slightly flat, sky-blue in color, and have a balanced, appealing flavor. High temperatures during harvest can result in soft fruit. Berries detach extremely easily, making proper operation of mechanical harvesters important.
Light Blue, Firm, Tart, Juicy
BUSH HABIT:
Upright, Narrow Crown, Vigorous
RIPENING SEASON:
Mid-Late
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Medium - Large
FRUIT QUALITIES:
M-L
Fresh, Processed
Light Blue, Balanced Flavor
BUSH HABIT:
Upright, Vigorous, Slightly Open
RIPENING SEASON:
Mid-Late
HIGH CHILL EU Plant Patent 55032
Last Call ripens very late season in the same window as Aurora and Elliott. This vigorous, upright bush produces high yields of large berries that are classically sweet and slightly aromatic. Although primary use is for commercial fresh production, it is also recommended for processed or local market growers wanting to extend their harvest season. We advise growers not push too much growth and consider applying a lower-than-usual nitrogen ratio. This will decrease late season herbaceous growth that has been observed and can lead to cold damage on tips. The quality of Last Call’s fruit is very high and superior to existing late season varieties. We recommend growers consider leaving the berries on the plants a few extra days to reduce acidity. Last Call fruit is light blue, flat in shape, large and very firm.
Aurora
HIGH CHILL U.S. Plant Patent 15,185
One of the latest ripening Highbush varieties, Aurora berries are, on average, about 25% larger than Elliott, with a slightly darker color. Aurora is often more resistant to cracking and shriveling than Elliott, and as a result, it can be allowed to hang longer and develop better flavor. We recommend Aurora for growers where a cold hardy, hand-harvest berry is desired to extend the fresh market season.
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Medium - Large
M-L
Fresh
FRUIT QUALITIES:
Light Blue, Very Firm, ‘Classic’ Blueberry Flavor
BUSH HABIT:
Extremely Vigorous, Upright, Thick Canes
&
Last Call
2 0 2 0 - 2 0 21
M-L
Fresh, Processed
FRUIT QUALITIES:
C H I L L
HIGH CHILL U.S. Plant Patent 15,1461
H I G H
Liberty
Medium - Large
RIPENING SEASON:
Late
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Medium - Large
FRUIT QUALITIES:
M-L
Fresh
Medium Blue, Firm, Tart
M I D
Cargo is a high yielding, vigorous variety with good fresh and machine-harvest, process characteristics. Cargo berries are extremely round and uniform maintaining firmness and flavor during refrigeration and freezer storage. This variety is superior in long-term controlled atmosphere storage with crunchy, very firm and outstanding flavored berries. Cargo’s extremely high bud set may require aggressive pruning. The flowers tend to open in a concentrated bloom and require high bee activity to be pollinated properly. We recommend carefully monitoring flower development to be sure bees are in the field on time. Cargo is recommended for regions similar to Central, Northern & Eastern Europe.
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
C H A RT:
HIGH CHILL EU Plant Patent 55030
BUSH HABIT:
Vigorous, Spreading & Round
RIPENING SEASON:
Very Late
Licensed to Fall Creek. Royalties apply. Please contact your regional Fall Creek representative for details. Video available online. Fall Creek may have additional varieties that are not listed in this catalog. Please talk to our sales team for more information.
V A R I E T Y
Cargo
The variety information presented in these variety charts is based on observations and does not guarantee results. Plant performance as well as fruit quality and production will vary due to a variety of elements including climate, soil, horticultural practices, inherent traits, and other factors. Fall Creek recommends growers trial varieties in their own commercial grower operations.
7 © 2020 Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc.
www.fallcreeknursery.com
Contact your regional Fall Creek Sales representative regarding availability in your area.
2 0 2 0 - 2 0 21
Rabbiteyes Varieties Titan ‘T-959’
MID CHILL U.S. Plant Patent 24,135
Titan has very large fruit. It is the earliest ripening Rabbiteye and picks in a harvest window similar to Cargo. Titan plants are not self-fertile and should be planted with another Rabbiteye.
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Large - Very Large
Fresh
FRUIT QUALITIES:
Light Blue, Firm, Tart
BUSH HABIT:
L-VL
Upright, Narrow Crown
RIPENING SEASON:
Mid-Late
Sky Blue MID CHILL
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
V A R I E T Y
C H A RT :
R A B B I T E YE S
Sky Blue was selected for mid-season, high quality large fruit. Sky Blue has among the firmest fruit of rabbiteye varieties and often has Centra Blue as a pollinator. The plant shape is semiupright with medium vigor and medium-large fruit averaging over 2g per berry. The fruit is firm with a good balance of sweetness and acidity.
Large
FRUIT QUALITIES:
L
Fresh
Mid Blue, Firm, Good Balance Between Sugar & Acidity
BUSH HABIT:
Semi-Upright, Medium-Strong Vigor
RIPENING SEASON:
Late
Ochlockonee
MID CHILL EU Plant Patent 34755
Ochlockonee has become the leading Rabbiteye in the Pacific Northwest. Planted with Overtime as a pollinator, Ochlockonee has consistent yields of firm, flavorful berries. Field observations indicate Ochlockonee is more resistant to bacterial canker than Powderblue. It is recommended for commercial plantings where late, high quality, fresh market fruit is desired.
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Medium - Large
FRUIT QUALITIES:
M-L
Fresh
Medium Blue, Good Sweet Flavor
BUSH HABIT:
Moderately Upright, Vigorous
RIPENING SEASON:
Late/Very Late
Overtime
MID-HIGH CHILL EU Plant Patent 50642
Overtime is the first Rabbiteye release from Fall Creek, selected for its improved berry quality and as a pollinator to Ochlockonee. Its berries are light sky blue, very round and have excellent flavor. We suggest Overtime for commercial plantings where a very late season, high quality, fresh market berry is desired. Overtime shows better resistance to bacterial canker than Powderblue.
PRIMARY USE: BERRY SIZE:
Medium - Large
FRUIT QUALITIES:
M-L
Fresh
Light Blue, Excellent Flavor
BUSH HABIT:
Upright, Open, Vigorous
RIPENING SEASON:
Very Late
Centra Blue
PRIMARY USE:
MID CHILL
BERRY SIZE:
This rabbiteye variety was selected for improved fruit quality, low grittiness and very late fruiting season with high yields. In some environments, Centra Blue can ripen 3-4 weeks after Powderblue. It can be grown successfully with or without tunnels, and the flowering time is generally late. The plant has an upright growth habit and high vigor with uniform light blue fruit.
Medium - Large
FRUIT QUALITIES:
M-L
Fresh
Light Blue, Blue-black with Bloom Removed, Firm, Good Flavor
BUSH HABIT:
Medium Upright, Strong Vigor
RIPENING SEASON:
Very Late
Licensed to Fall Creek. Royalties apply. Please contact your regional Fall Creek representative for details. Video available online. Fall Creek may have additional varieties that are not listed in this catalog. Please talk to our sales team for more information. The variety information presented in these variety charts is based on observations and does not guarantee results. Plant performance as well as fruit quality and production will vary due to a variety of elements including climate, soil, horticultural practices, inherent traits, and other factors. Fall Creek recommends growers trial varieties in their own commercial grower operations.
8 © 2020 Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc.
www.fallcreeknursery.com
The trademarks identified are the trademarks or registered trademarks of Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc. and its licensors.
Our New Pot Makes for a Better Plant and a Better Planet.
Fall Creek EMEnA focuses on achieving excellent plant quality while protecting the environment, increasingly finding solutions for sustainability and recycling. Fall Creek EMEnA developed, especially for their High Chill varieties, a new, bigger square pot with a specially designed bottom for better drainage which will produce a stronger plant with bigger and better developed roots. Our new pot is made with 100% recycled material from post-consumer plastic, compared to our old pots which used 20% recycled plastic. With this innovation, Fall Creek will improve the quality of its plants, while achieving sustainable practices expected from industry leaders.
200 tons of recycled PP (Polypropylene) will be used for the production of the pots for this new project. This is equivalent to 13 million plastic bottles, or more than 30 million bottle caps. For each ton of plastic that is recycled, approximately 1.2 tons of oil are saved and the carbon footprint of the process is reduced by 40%, saving energy. Our plastic pots can be recycled many times. Since they are 100% recyclable, turning used pots into new ones again. Did you know that: • Despite the “War on Plastic”, only 45% of plastics in the UK were recycled in 2019. • Every year, we throw away enough plastic to go around the world 5 times. • Most European households throw away at least 40 kg of plastic each year.
For more information on this pot and other Fall Creek products, please contact:
Fall Creek Office EMEnA Phone: +34 954 49 19 31 europe@fallcreeknursery.com
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Regional Insights Listed below, on these two Regional Insights pages, are relative ripening periods for varieties relevant to the listed regions. Dates are averages only. Ripening will vary depending on location, season and other factors . However, the relative ripening between varieties should remain fairly consistent. This information is intended to provide approximated ripening. Fall Creek always recommends that growers trial varieties in their own commercial operations, especially new genetics. Contact a member of our Sales & Grower Support Team for more detailed information on varieties specific to the region of your blueberry project. (See page 20 for contact information.) Northern & Eastern Europe (Cold Hardy): Poland, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, Balkan countries, Scandinavia, Belarus
june
R E G I O N A L
I N S I G HT S
Fruiting Season* (Month/Weeks)
DUKE
NHB
DRAPER
NHB
TOP SHELF
NHB/MID
VALOR® ‘ZF08-070’
NHB
CALYPSO
NHB
CARGO
NHB
LIBERTY
NHB
LAST CALL
NHB
AURORA
NHB
j u ly
4
1
2
august 3
4
1
2
september
3
4
1
2
3
4
Mid- South Europe: France, Romania, Northern Iberia, Bulgaria
j un e
Fruiting Season* (Month/Weeks)
DUKE
NHB
CLOCKWORK
NHB
BLUE RIBBON
NHB/MID
TOP SHELF
NHB/MID
DRAPER
NHB
OSORNO
NHB/MID
CALYPSO
NHB
VALOR® ‘ZF08-070’
NHB
LEGACY
NHB/MID
CARGO
NHB
LIBERTY
NHB
TITAN ‘T-959’
RE
LAST CALL
NHB
AURORA
NHB
SKY BLUE
RE
OCHLOCKONEE
RE
OVERTIME
RE
CENTRA BLUE
RE
2
3
j u ly 4
1
2
3
august 4
1
2
3
4
september
oct
1
1
2
3
4
2
Mid-North Europe: Belgium, Netherlands, North of France, UK
june
Fruiting Season*
10
(Month/Weeks)
DUKE
NHB
CLOCKWORK
NHB
BLUE RIBBON
NHB/MID
OSORNO
NHB/MID
TOP SHELF
NHB/MID
DRAPER
NHB
VALOR® ‘ZF08-070’
NHB
CALYPSO
NHB
CARGO
NHB
LIBERTY
NHB
LAST CALL
NHB
AURORA
NHB
4
j u ly 1
2
3
august 4
1
2
3
september 4
1
2
3
oct 4
1
2 0 2 0 - 2 0 21
Regional Insights Mid & Central Asia: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan
j uly
Fruiting Season* (Month/Weeks) DUKE
NHB
DRAPER
NHB
VALOR® ‘ZF08-070’
NHB
CALYPSO
NHB
CARGO
NHB
LIBERTY
NHB
LAST CALL
NHB
AURORA
NHB
1
2
august 3
4
1
2
september
3
4
1
2
3
4
3
4
Caucasus: Georgia, Azerbaijan, South of Russia, Turkmenistan, North Turkey
MISS ALICE MAE ‘TH-921’
SHB
SUZIBLUE
SHB
LEGACY
SHB
MISS JACKIE ‘TH-917’
SHB
CAMELLIA
SHB
BLUE RIBBON
SHB
TOP SHELF
SHB
1
2
3
4
1
2
j u ly 3
4
1
2
Southern Europe & Mediterranean Sea Area: South - Spain, North - Morocco, South Italy, South Turkey
feb
Fruiting Season* (Month/Weeks) VENTURA
3
ma rch
4
1
2
3
april 4
1
2
3
m ay 4
1
2
3
june 4
1
2
j u ly
3
4
1
2
SHB
JUPITERBLUE® ‘FCM12-131’ SHB WINTER BELL
SHB
‘TH-1008’
SHB
ATLASBLUE® ‘FCM12-045’ SHB MISS ALICE MAE ‘TH-921’
SHB
SUZIBLUE
SHB
STAR
SHB
BIANCABLUE® ‘FCM12-087’ SHB MISS JACKIE ‘TH-917’
SHB
CAMELLIA
SHB
BLUE RIBBON
SHB
I N S I G H TS
(Month/Weeks)
june
R E G I O N A L
m ay
Fruiting Season*
North Africa & Middle East: South - Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Ethiopia, Mauritania, Senegal, Nigeria, Kenya
dec
Fruiting Season* (Month/Weeks)
4
jan 1
2
feb 3
4
1
2
m a rc h 3
4
1
2
3
april 4
1
2
3
4
JUPITERBLUE® ‘FCM12-131’ SHB VENTURA
SHB
ATLASBLUE® ‘FCM12-045’ SHB BIANCABLUE® ‘FCM12-087’ SHB ‘TH-1008’
SHB
WINTER BELL
SHB
Licensed to Fall Creek. Royalties apply. Please contact your regional Fall Creek representative for details.
HIGH CHILL
MID CHILL
LOW CHILL
*Subject to weather/climate conditions/geographic location.
NO CHILL
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Fall Creek Breeding Happy Consumers.
Cristina Palomo, Assistant Breeder, and Jordy McCornack, Assistant Breeder, recording field data at the Fall Creek Oregon research farm.
Choosing Varieties.
F A L L
C R E E K
B R E E D I N G
Fall Creek Breeding. Developing Tomorrow’s Varieties for Growers.
12
Ultimately, what matters most is how satisfied consumers are with the berries they buy. Right now, research shows they are dissatisfied far too often. Imagine if consumers had extraordinary eating experiences. How much would demand increase? This is precisely why we stay focused on developing blueberry varieties that significantly improve the eating experience. And varieties that deliver greater proficiencies in growing, harvest, storage and packaging.
For 40+ years, Fall Creek has focused on bringing new blueberry varieties to the leading blueberry growers. We breed our own varieties in addition to working closely with some of the best public and private breeding programs. Our goal is simple – focus on the success of our customers. Our expanded global breeding program includes three Research & Development facilities spanning all chill zones. We also have exceptionally talented and experienced breeding and applied research teams with scientists and technicians at all three facilities. Building our expansive program and teams shows the commitment we have made to the industry and to the future.
Making your variety selections may seem overwhelming. Rest assured, the variety offerings in this catalog are some of the very best varieties available today. Our Sales & Technical Support Team members are ready to help guide you through these decisions. They are the professionals working with growers daily. They know these varieties well and have lots of insights and expertise to bring to your projects. Talk to them early to take advantage of their knowledge.
Fall Creek Breeding. The Difference. Fall Creek’s commitment is unsurpassed when it comes to bringing tomorrow’s varieties. We’re actively developing new varieties for every environment where blueberries can be grown. We also conduct 1,000s of consumer evaluations and berry storage trials. Additionally, every variety we advance goes through vigorous trialing in plant performance, post-harvest qualities and more. We also have a unique advantage. With a long history and a global sales and technical team serving growers around the world, we are keenly aware of the challenges growers face now and in the future. From labor shortages, increasing harvest costs, technology advancements, emerging consuming market locales and more, we stay centered on meeting these challenges. We believe many of these looming challenges will be met with improved varieties. One thing is for sure - new challenges will drive our breeding innovation. At Fall Creek, we’re committed to continually innovating to meet these challenges. ©©2020 2020Fall FallCreek CreekFarm Farm& &Nursery, Nursery,Inc. Inc.
Fruit firmness testing.
Meet Our Resaerch & Development Team
Dr. Paul Sandefur Blueberry Breeder, Fall Creek U.S.
Cristina Palomo Assistant Breeder, Fall Creek Europe
www.fallcreeknursery.com www.fallcreeknursery.com
Dr. Patty Rodriguez Blueberry Breeder, Fall Creek Mexico
Jordy McCornack Assistant Breeder, Fall Creek U.S.
Francisco Tirado Applied Research Fall Creek Europe
2 0 2 0 - 2 0 21
Plant Production Timeline & Advance Planning Plant Production Timeline
Fall Creek Commits Order to Lab
Year 1: Spring
Year 2: Spring
Year 2: Fall
Year 3: Spring
8 Months
12 Months
18 Months
24 Months
Lab Plants Enter Nursery Production
Plants Transplanted to Product Size
Ready to Ship
Why Is It Important to Talk to Us Early? By talking to our team early, you will be able to take advantage of their expertise in all facets of your project planning. This includes important topics such as site selection, field planning, preparation, choosing the right varieties, planting and care techniques and marketing intelligence. It also assures your plants will be ready when you are.
We do often have limited varieties and plants available from current inventory so call if you have a need. Our Product & Grower Support Team will be happy to assist you.
TA L K
Remember, it takes 16-24 months on average to produce a field-ready plant from when you order.
From our tissue culture lab initiation to propagation and production, through packaging and shipping, it is an expertly-managed, meticulous process to ensure you get true-to-type, high-health plants in the sizes and varieties you want when you need them.
E A R LY
Year 0: Summer Customer Places Order
SHIPPING
U S
PROPAGATING & GROWING
TO
CUSTOMER ORDERS
A young plantation of low-no chill in the south (Turkey-Antalya), Oragro, Turkey. Š 2020 Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc.
www.fallcreeknursery.com
*Subject to weather/climate conditions/geographic location.
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2 0 2 0 - 2 0 21
How to Order: Europe / Middle East / North Africa Order Minimum: 1 Pallet Order Acknowledgements: Once you have placed your order, we will send an order acknowledgement and a copy of our terms and conditions to your business. A deposit will be due within 14 days. Please review the details such as ship date, variety, quantities, product types and sizes and notify our customer service representative of any discrepancies or changes. Please read Terms and Conditions carefully.
H O W
T O
O R D E R
Terms of Payment: All orders must be paid in full prior to finalizing shipment details unless previous credit arrangements have been made. Packing and Shipping: Freight, packing materials and refrigerated storage, when warranted, are charged at cost. We can help arrange shipment of your order. Loading and receiving hours at our nursery are 8 am – 3 pm, Monday through Friday. Plants become the property of the purchaser when they are picked up by the carrier. We are not responsible for loss, damage or delay in transit.
Fall Creek Europe’s shipping team packing plants for customer orders at our Spain facility.
Our Sales, Grower Support and Customer service teams in Spain and The Netherlands stand ready to assist you with every aspect of your order and shipment. Please see contact information on page 20.
What to Expect in Advance of Your Plants Shipping Order Confirmed
- 60 Days
- 30 Days
Finish your field preparation
- 14 Days
Order Shipped
We wait for payment
Shipping Period A. From 1st October until 1st February B. From 2nd February until 1st April Grower Support Calls You to Review Details of Order With You
Grower Support
You Receive Proforma Invoice
We Put a Date on Shipment
Shipping
Deadline for Payment
In Order to maintain quality, plants will be kept in Cold Storage and an extra fee will be charged.
Customer Service
14 © 2020 Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc.
www.fallcreeknursery.com
Contact your regional Fall Creek Sales representative regarding availability in your area.
2 0 2 0 - 2 0 21
Our Products Fall Creek’s Products for Europe / Middle East / North Africa Every field-ready plant from Fall Creek is produced from virus-tested and disease-tested mother stock in our state-of-the-art tissue culture lab before finishing in our nursery’s high-health growing systems. Investing in tissue culture-originated plants, produced
in our facilities under our strict growing protocols, ensures you receive the healthiest, most vigorous plants available. This results in fast establishment in your field, and faster returns on your investment.
No & Low Chill Pot
New High Chill Pot
LxWxH 110 x 110 x 115 mm
LxWxH 135 x 135 x 160 mm
26 pallets per truck, 2 carton boxes per pallet, 700 plants in bottom box and 300 plants in top box.
26 pallets per truck, 3 wooden crates per pallet, 160 plants per crate.
26 x 1000 = 26000 plants per truck.
26 x 160 x 3 = 12480 plants per truck.
Dimensions of a pallet unit (2 stacked boxes): 120 x 100 x 215 cm
Dimensions of a pallet unit (3 stacked wooden crates): 120 x 100 x 240 cm
P R O D U C T
The Fall Creek products are vigorous, strong and can be transplanted quickly. Fall Creek adapted their packaging to the local growing and conditions and planting methods to best serve the growers: For High Chill Fall Creek developed a new bigger pot and for Low and No Chill Fall Creek uses a smaller Liter pot. Most varieties are sheared to 20 cm-25 cm before shipping. Plants are carefully packed for convenient shipping, easy unloading, and planting.
True-to-Type Variety
What To Expect From Fall Creek Plants. Our focus at Fall Creek: To provide the finest quality blueberry plants to help growers maximize success. This means you receive plants propagated and grown from tissue culture in our “start clean, stay clean” system and arrive branched and fully rooted to provide maximum vigor and performance in your fields.
D E S C R I P T I O N S
Fall Creek Plants
Well Branched
Consistent Uniformity Sturdy Canes
Strong & Stable Crown
Complete &Vigorous Root System
15 © 2020 Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc.
www.fallcreeknursery.com
*Subject to weather/climate conditions/geographic location.
2 0 2 0 - 2 0 21
Meet Our Europe / Middle East / North Africa Sales Team Our EMEnA Sales Team For information about our genetics, plant sales and technical support in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa please contact our Sales and Grower Support Team.
M E E T
O U R
F A L L
C R E E K
E M E nA
S A L E S
TE A M
Regional Director - EMEnA
16
Key Account Managers
Ronnie Kersten Key Account Manager Cell: +31 625 15 93 05 ronniek@fallcreeknursery.com
Bertrand Guély Regional Director EMEnA Phone: +34 662 23 44 29 bertrandg@fallcreeknursery.com
Juan Antonio Lorenzo Key Account Manager Phone: +34 664 43 74 04 jalorenzo@fallcreeknursery.com
Sales Manager - EMEnA
Hans Liekens Commercial Manager EMEnA Phone: +32 477 53 15 29 hansl@fallcreeknursery.com
Customer Service
Sales and Grower Support
Inés Béjar Customer Service Lead Phone: +34 674 63 60 30 ibejar@fallcreeknursery.com
Mariusz Padewski Sales and Grower Support Lead Phone: +48 510 445 396 mpadewski@fallcreeknursery.com
Africa Martinez Customer Service Phone: +34 674 78 55 99 amartinez@fallcreeknursery.com
Andrea Pergher Sales and Grower Support Phone: +39 342 84 31 457 apergher@fallcreeknursery.com
Estefanía Rodríguez Arquero Sales and Grower Support Phone: +34 663 91 50 73 erodriguez@fallcreeknursery.com
Abdelhadi Zougui Sales and Grower Support Phone: +212 61 60 90 01 azougui@fallcreeknursery.com
Sep Vestjens Sales Representative Phone: +31 615 474 705 sepv@fallcreeknursery.com
Malgorzata Jozefowicz-Rosa Customer Service Phone: +34 687 20 08 98 mjozefowicz@fallcreeknursery.com Marketing
Ana Tortosa Chastang Marketing Lead Phone: +34 662 244 991 atortosa@fallcreeknursery.com
Territories & Representatives To find the representative for your country, please see the map and list of countries below. Fall Creek Europe / Middle East / North Africa Territories & Representatives
SOUTH AFRICA
Mariusz Padewski
Azerbaijan Belarus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland Kazakhstan Lithuania Latvia Norway Poland Russia Slovakia Sweden Turkey Ukraine
Fall Creek Office EMEnA Inquiries inside Europe, The Middle East & North Africa Phone: +34 954 49 19 31 europe@fallcreeknursery.com
Andrea Pergher
Albania Austria Belgium Bosnia & Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Germany Hungary Italy Kosovo Macedonia Moldova Montenegro The Netherlands Romania Serbia Slovenia Switzerland United Kingdom
Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc. Corporate Offices Phone +1 800 538 3001 (U.S) blueberries@fallcreeknursery.com
EstefanĂa RodrĂguez Arquero
France Georgia Greece Portugal Spain Abdelhadi Zougui
Algeria Egypt Mauritania Morocco Senegal Tunisia Sep Vestjens
Austria Belgium Germany The Netherlands Switzerland
International Inquiries Inquiries outside Europe, The Middle East & North Africa www.fallcreeknursery.com blueberries@fallcreeknursery.com
E U R O P E/M I D D LE EAST/N O RTH AF R I CA
Contact us: +34 954 49 19 31 europe@fallcreeknursery.com
2020-2021 CATALOG
EMEnA Commercial Blueberry Growers’ Edition www.fallcreeknursery.com
A Salute to the Blueberry Growers of Europe, the Middle East & North Africa.