Dennis Parr is a seasoned market grower with a wealth of knowledge in plant cultivation. He utilizes various resources to enhance his skills and techniques, including Purdue Extension’s Vegetable Crops Hotline (VCH).
Earlier this spring, a VCH article highlighted the cucumber beetle, a pest of cucurbits (link). A few days later, another article alerted growers the beetles were “out in full force” (link).
Even seasoned growers like Dennis can be caught off guard, but thanks to VCH, Dennis decided to inspect the cucumbers he transplanted the previous week. He recalled, “I had walked past to check them, but the article made me take a closer look.” To his surprise, he found not only his cucumbers infested with striped cucumber beetles but also melons, squash, and pumpkins—both in the high tunnel and outdoors.
Figure 1. Dennis Parr in the cucumber hoop house (Photo by Dennis Parr).
To combat the beetles, Dennis applied Mustang® Maxx insecticide, which proved effective. Although the beetles initially caused minimal visible damage, they introduced a wilt pathogen that resulted in a 50% loss of his first melon row. “The beetle may not always be the worst enemy; sometimes it’s the diseases they carry,” he noted.
Despite the challenges, Dennis experienced a bountiful cucumber harvest, selling over 550 pounds at farmer’s markets and directly to vendors in one week and over a ton over the season. He also sold 135 large melons through a vendor and another 500 at the markets.
Dennis’s journey in agriculture began with the 4-H Garden project, which led him to earn a degree in Horticulture from Purdue University in 1969. He had aspirations in greenhouse management. During his time at Purdue, he worked at the Landscape Field Lab, eventually leading to a position managing 62 acres of landscape for Parkview Hospital.
In 1978, he took the inaugural Purdue Extension Master Gardener (EMG) course in Allen County, which refreshed his education and set him on the path to achieving the Advanced EMG Gold status. This prestigious designation requires over 1,000 volunteer hours dedicated to community education in gardening and plant care. As a Master Gardener, Dennis taught numerous classes on a wide range of topics, including vegetable gardening, lawn care, and soil health, while also committing to ongoing education to maintain his status.
In 2012, Dennis returned to his family’s 72-acre farm, establishing a large garden (around 2.5 acres of specialty crops) to sell at local farmers markets. He manages two large hoop houses primarily for tomatoes and cucumbers, along with two smaller greenhouses for starting plants from seed.
While tomatoes and sweet corn are essential to profitability, Dennis also cultivates a diverse array of crops, including beans, berries, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, kale, melons, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, squash, and more. Additionally, eight beehives not only produce honey, but enhance pollination in his garden. When asked about his favorite crop to grow, Dennis revealed that this year, it was melons. He explained they posed a significant challenge in the past, pushing him to learn from the success of others and experiment with new techniques.
Dennis knows the importance of staying informed through resources such as the Vegetable Crops Hotline. His journey also highlights the value of lifelong learning, demonstrating that even in the face of challenges like battling beetles, knowledge can help pave the way to success.
Figure 2. Farm Assistant, Jett, sampling the sweet corn as a reward for protecting the garden from critters (Photo by Dennis Parr).