We have received a number of reports of outbreaks of spider mites, primarily in watermelons in the field and cucumbers in high tunnels. Spider mite damage can be recognized by the chlorosis often observed on older leaves (Figure 1). Plus, the underside of leaves affected by spider mites often appears ‘dirty’ due to the debris caught…Read more about Spider Mites[Read More]
Cucurbits
We sometimes hear that excessive nitrogen could delay fruit set, stimulate excessive vine growth, and depress overall yield of pumpkins, but it is often unclear how much nitrogen is too much. This article reviews research on nitrogen fertilizer rates for pumpkins, and discusses the potential factors that might affect the recommended nitrogen rate. In a…Read more about How Much Nitrogen is Too Much for Pumpkins[Read More]
We have begun to receive the first reports of aphid outbreaks in high tunnels on tomato, pepper, and cucumber (Figure 1). Aphids are a very common problem in high tunnels because the covering excludes rainfall, which is a major mortality factor for small insects like aphids. Some growers are interested in using biological control in…Read more about Aphids in High Tunnels[Read More]
White mold of watermelon – Usually when I write about a vegetable disease it is because the disease may cause important economic loss. Once in a while, however, a disease I find is more a curiosity than a real problem. So, go ahead and read this article about white mold of watermelon. But please don’t worry about…Read more about White Mold of Watermelon[Read More]
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Last week, we received calls from several watermelon growers who reported that their newly planted watermelon seedlings had died (Figure 1). After closely inspecting the affected plants, we did not find any pathogens. This reminded us of what happened to our cucumbers back in early April in our high tunnel. We will review the cucumber…Read more about Establishment Failure of Watermelon and Cucumber Transplants Because of Low Soil Temperatures[Read More]
We found our first striped cucumber beetle on Friday, May 20 and several more on May 23 (Figure 1). Given the cool weather, this is a little earlier than we would have expected. As the temperatures warm up this week, it would not be surprising for cucumber beetles to become very numerous in our melon…Read more about Striped Cucumber Beetles[Read More]
The cool, wet weather we are experiencing is perfect for the root and seed maggots, namely cabbage maggot, onion maggot, and seedcorn maggot. One way of avoiding damage from these pests is to wait until the soils warm up to 70o F before planting, but that is not always possible. The use of row covers…Read more about Root and Seed Maggots[Read More]
Gummy Stem Blight – this fungal disease causes dark brown leaf spots, however, the diagnostic feature of this disease is the water soaked lesion that is often formed under one of the seed leaves (cotyledons). Such lesions often start at the point where the seed leaf joins the stem (hypocotyl) and do not extend to…Read more about Cucurbit Transplant Diseases[Read More]
Every year since 1980, we have conducted watermelon and cantaloupe variety trials at Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center. In 2016, our variety trials include 44 standard seedless watermelons, 12 cantaloupes, 4 mini-sized seedless watermelons, and 5 seeded watermelon varieties. Seeds have already been planted in the greenhouses and our target date for transplanting in the field…Read more about 2016 Watermelon and Cantaloupe Variety Trials at Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center[Read More]
I have never had as many questions about how to use MELCAST as I did in 2015. The interest in this program is growing both here in Indiana and nationally. Read on to find out how to apply fungicides according to the weather and perhaps save money in the process. MELCAST (MELon disease foreCASTer) is…Read more about MELCAST 2016[Read More]