It seems the season has shifted abruptly from wet to dry. Over the past week, we’ve begun to hear reports typically associated with hot and dry conditions. At the Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center, we conduct side-by-side comparisons of different fruiting vegetables under varying irrigation treatments. This article summarizes our observations on how different fruiting vegetable[Read More…]
Cucumbers
Over the past two years, we’ve been testing various cucumber cultivars to see which ones are most vulnerable to pests in high tunnel systems. We split the cucumbers into two groups based on fruit characteristics for a fair comparison. The first group consists of pickle-type cucumbers, known for being small, blocky, and having thin skin.[Read More…]
The seedcorn maggot, Delia platura, is one of the first pests that will cause damage to vegetables in the spring in our region. This fly, which resembles a house fly but is smaller (Figure 1), begins to emerge from the overwintering pupal stage in the soil in early spring. Upon emergence, the flies quickly aggregate[Read More…]
Are you still thinking about varieties for the upcoming season? Purdue has been keeping a record of vegetable variety trials in the Midwest since 1999. The Midwest Vegetable Trial Report series includes reports of applied research relevant to vegetable and melon production in the Midwest. Here are some abstracts of the most recent reports. Visit the Midwest Vegetable[Read More…]
Earlier this year, Rely® 280 was registered for use in transplanted cantaloupe, cucumber, pepper, summer squash, tomato, and watermelon with a supplemental label. The registration allows for the use of Rely® 280 for pre-plant burndown and post-directed applications to row middles. Previously, postemergence burndown and row middle options were limited to glyphosate (Roundup®), carfentrazone (Aim®),[Read More…]
Are you interested in collaborating with Purdue Entomology on the grant “Improving two-spotted spider mite management in high tunnel cucumber production” funded by North Central SARE, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (LNC20-438)? The primary objectives of this research are to increase our understanding of two-spotted spider mite dynamics and management in a high tunnel cucumber[Read More…]
Most of us know a temperature lower than 32°F would kill tender vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, melons, and cucumbers. Home gardeners would wait to plant those crops after the last frost passed, but commercial farmers may take the risk of planting earlier to capture early-season premium prices. Farmers use various strategies, i.e., high tunnels, low[Read More…]
We are happy to announce that Purdue Extension is presenting its annual Fruit and Vegetable Field Day on July 20, 2023, at the Throckmorton/Meigs Horticulture Farm, Lafayette, IN. Registration is now open. To register your spot, visit https://cvent.me/5zevYD The field day schedule is very exciting, something for everyone to look forward to. Sweet corn pest[Read More…]
The 2022 Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day was a big success. Nearly 72% of attendees reported that they learned something new. Nearly half indicated they plan to adopt recommended practices for diversified farming systems, and over a third (36.0%) plan to adopt recommended practices for creating, improving, or strengthening their business. Half (52.0%) indicated[Read More…]
The 2022 Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day was a big success. Nearly 72% of attendees reported that they learned something new. Nearly half indicated they plan to adopt recommended practices for diversified farming systems, and over a third (36.0%) plan to adopt recommended practices for creating, improving, or strengthening their business. Half (52.0%) indicated[Read More…]