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]
Vegetable Crops - General
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]
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]
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]
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]
University of Florida researchers developed this survey to investigate issues associated with slugs and snails in horticultural crops. Your survey participation can assist researchers in developing Extension and research control methods. For more information about this survey, please check the survey link.
Join us for an exciting new endeavor, the Tri-State High Tunnel School, focused on high tunnel production with information to benefit commercial growers, beginning farmers, and educators, among others. It is hosted by Extension Specialists and Educators with Michigan State University, Purdue University, and The Ohio State University. Indiana host locations and contacts: Goshen, IN…Read more about Tri-State High Tunnel School on March 14, 2025[Read More]
Let’s face it, growing a specialty crop is hard work and expensive. Battling mother nature, insects and disease are just a few of the obstacles growers face. Pesticide drift shouldn’t be one of them. DriftWatch offers a reliable and FREE mapping tool that promotes communication between specialty crop producers and pesticide applicators. (Beekeepers can also register…Read more about How Much is Your Specialty Crop Worth?[Read More]