Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2025 crop year have until April 15, 2025, to revise elections and sign contracts. Both safety net programs, delivered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provide vital income support to eligible farmers who experience substantial declines in crop…Read more about USDA Reminds Agricultural Producers to Enroll in Key Safety Net Programs by April 15[Read More]
Drying produce can be an attractive technique for adding value to your crop, reducing waste, and diversifying the products offered to consumers. The process of dehydrating produce extends shelf life by reducing water content and limiting the growth of microorganisms that can cause spoilage. Remain aware, though, that most dehydration processes are not kill steps…Read more about Ensuring Food Safety in Produce Drying: Best Practices for Handling, Preparation, and Dehydration[Read More]
Many of you are getting ready to start planting your seeds in the greenhouse, especially if you are planning to transplant. Regardless of the time you start or the type of crop you are planting, it is important to ensure that you have clean and disinfected areas in your greenhouse to prevent disease infections and…Read more about Cleaning and Disinfesting Your Greenhouse Before Planting[Read More]
An average-yielding watermelon crop in an acre accumulates approximately 150 pounds of both nitrogen and potassium in the vegetative tissue and fruit. These nutrients are supplied by the soil’s existing nutrient pool and through supplemental fertilizer applications. Soil testing is a valuable tool for assessing what nutrients are present in soils and the amount of…Read more about Lessons Learned: Nitrogen Fertilizer Management in Indiana Watermelon Production[Read More]
Indiana has already experienced several tornadoes this year, with more certainly to come. Of course, this is not unusual since Indiana is often considered on the far northeastern edge of “Tornado Alley”. Tornadoes get their energy from the battle between the cooler, drier Canadian air moving southeastward and the warmer, more humid air coming north…Read more about Tracking Tornadoes Over Time[Read More]
3As Indiana enters the prime transplanting window for warm-season crops, vegetable producers must prepare transplants for successful field establishment. With variable spring weather conditions across the state, proper hardening and planting techniques are essential for minimizing losses and ensuring quick establishment. This article outlines critical management practices for growers preparing vegetable transplants for field conditions….Read more about Preparing Vegetable Transplants for Indiana Field Conditions[Read More]
Crop Status Plug plants set on black plastic mulch in late summer and early fall are approaching full bloom. Some early blooms may have been damaged by recent low temperatures. Moving forward, growers should remain vigilant in protecting these crops from potential frost injury (Figure 3). Bare-root plants that were planted on white plastic during…Read more about Plasticulture Strawberry Update from Southern Indiana[Read More]
Dear Valued VCH Readers, Welcome to issue 750, the third edition of the 2025 Vegetable Crops Hotline newsletter! Indiana has undoubtedly experienced a stormy couple of weeks. I hope you all are doing well. Purdue Extension has a great resource to help you prepare for extreme events https://www.purdue.edu/engineering/ABE/INPREPared/. Next week, temperatures across the state might…Read more about From The Editor’s Desk[Read More]
Many growers have heard about or tried tomato grafting at some point. Some have found that grafted plants make a noticeable difference in plant vigor and yield, and have adopted the practice. Others may not have seen the same benefits and felt the extra effort wasn’t worthwhile. But regardless of initial experiences, grafting is a…Read more about Tomato Grafting Resources[Read More]
It happens every year. A warm wave moves into the area, and I immediately get the urge to run to the nursery and start planting for the spring. Of course, there is another little voice inside my head warning me not to fall for it. There are plenty of other things I can do outside…Read more about A False Sense of Spring?[Read More]