We went through an unseasonably cold period in early April (Figure 1). In southern Indiana, a few high tunnel tomato growers have already planted their crops. These plants may need some extra help. In Vincennes, IN, we used row covers to cover the newly planted tomatoes in high tunnels the past few nights, our recorded lowest temperature…Read more about Minimum Temperatures from April 9-11[Read More]
Cucurbits
The herbicide Chateau SW® is labeled for several vegetable crops including asparagus, mint, onion, and sweet potato. Recently, several growers asked Purdue University whether this product could be labeled in Indiana for cucurbit production. The answer is that Chateau® is not and will not be labeled for Indiana cucurbit production. We want to use this…Read more about Status of Chateau Label in Indiana[Read More]
Three species of seed and root maggots attack vegetables in Indiana. The seedcorn maggot (Figure 1) feeds on seeds and seedlings of sweetcorn, cucurbits, lima and snap beans, peas, and other crops. Cabbage maggots can cause serious damage to transplants of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts and make the fleshy roots of radishes, turnips,…Read more about Seed and Root Maggots[Read More]
Travelling through Indiana last summer, I realized that many growers plant their crops in soil inside their high tunnels or greenhouses. Soilless production offers different benefits and challenges. This is the first article in a series focusing on soilless crop production in high tunnels and greenhouses. Today we are discussing Hydroponics. What is Hydroponics? The…Read more about Opportunities in Hydroponics[Read More]
In recent years, many seed companies have begun using the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam (FarMore) as a seed treatment on cucurbit and other vegetable seeds. Thiamethoxam is a systemic insecticide that moves from the seed coat into the seedling and then moves throughout the plant. Research has shown that these seed treatments provide about 3 weeks…Read more about Neonicotinoid Seed Treatment on Cucurbits[Read More]
The last two summers, I have had pretty good fungicide trials for powdery mildew of pumpkin. Since all of the products trialed are now labeled or close to being labeled, I thought it was time to share this information with vegetable growers of Indiana. First, a bit of background about this disease. In Indiana, powdery…Read more about Powdery Mildew of Cucurbits[Read More]
In a separate article in this issue, I discussed management of powdery mildew with conventional fungicides. Here I would like to talk about powdery mildew management of cucurbits with organically approved products. I will describe two studies, one with all organically approved products and a second with a combination of organic and conventional products. All…Read more about Organic Powdery Mildew Control[Read More]
Late in the 2015 season, I observed some unusual symptoms of anthracnose on watermelon fruit. I wanted to discuss these symptoms, but first a little background of cucurbits. An extension bulletin on this subject may be found at https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/bp/bp-180-w.pdf. Anthracnose of cucurbits, caused by Colletotrichum orbiculare, is responsible for lesions on leaves, stems and fruit. Crops affected…Read more about Symptoms of Anthracnose of Watermelon on Fruit[Read More]
Pumpkin season is here. Keeping up with the best management practices through harvest and storage will help the year wrap up on a good note. The steps below are a reminder of actions that can make a difference. Handle fruit as little as possible. Harvest fully orange and healthy pumpkins. Half-orange pumpkins may turn orange,…Read more about Harvest and Post-harvest Care for High Quality Pumpkins[Read More]
I have observed this disease in several pumpkin fields this year. It is not clear to me why this disease seems to be more widespread compared to recent seasons. However, it makes sense to review Plectosporium blight here. Plectosporium blight is usually not a serious disease. The occurrence of this disease is usually sporadic. However, when…Read more about Plectosporium Blight[Read More]