There is some very exciting news this week for Indiana with respect to the U.S. Drought Monitor. For the first time since April 25, 2023, the entire state is void of any Abnormally Dry (D0) or Drought (D1-D4) conditions. I would include the map, but … drumroll, please … there’s nothing to show! This is…Read more about Indiana is Entirely Free of Drought[Read More]
Vegetable Crops - General
Welcome to the Vegetable Crops Hotline (VCH), Purdue Extension’s exclusive newsletter for people in the business of growing vegetables. This issue is packed with information. We are featuring several articles on weeds, including weed management in vegetable systems, how insects benefit from winter weeds, and a weed spotlight article on Common Chickweed. The insect spotlight…Read more about From The Editor’s Desk[Read More]
Grafted plant use is increasing rapidly but is still far below its estimated potential Grafting makes one plant out of two, the root system coming from the rootstock and the above-ground fruiting portion from the scion. Grafted planting stock is the norm in many areas of the world, and although it is less common in…Read more about Four Fast Facts about Vegetable Grafting in the U.S.[Read More]
Purdue is looking for volunteers to grow strawberry and marigold plants at home from May through September. All materials will be provided to participants for free. For further details: https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2024/Q2/citi-sci-gardening-for-science-experiment-focuses-on-gardening-preferences-and-effects-on-mental-health-seeks-participants.html
ON-SITE REGISTRATION AVAILABLE (Lunch not guaranteed with on-site registration) The 7th Annual Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day is heading to Meigs Horticulture Research Farm in Lafayette, IN, in 2024! This amazing event consistently draws more than 150 farmers from around the Midwest to hear from experts, meet with company representatives, network with other farmers,…Read more about 2024 Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day[Read More]
The April 8th solar eclipse reduced temperature and light for a period in the afternoon of an otherwise mostly sunny day. Sensors in an unheated high tunnel with open end walls at the Pinney Purdue Ag Center, Wanatah, IN, captured the change as the moon covered 96% of the sun (Figure 1). The air temperature…Read more about Air Temperature and Light in an Unheated High Tunnel During the Solar Eclipse[Read More]
The Clearspring Produce Auction is located just 2 miles south of US 20 in Clearspring Township in the Heart of the LaGrange-Elkhart Amish Settlement. It is within easy driving distance of the towns of Shipshewana, Topeka, Emma, and LaGrange. Produce is sold 3 days a week throughout most of the growing season (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday),…Read more about Clearspring Produce Auction Price Update[Read More]
Lacewings are a group of insects commonly found in Indiana and throughout the world. There are several species, but the most common that you will see in Indiana include the green lacewing and the brown lacewing. They belong to a unique order of insects, Neuroptera, and are commonly referred to as aphid lions. The life…Read more about Insect Spotlight: Lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea)[Read More]
Background High tunnels provide a hospitable environment for crops and insect pests, but little is known about the weed community present within them. From 1 December 2022 to 17 March 2023, we visited 14 farms monthly across Indiana and used a quadrat-style approach to measure weed pressure (0% to 100% weed coverage per quadrat) and…Read more about Winter Weeds as Refuge for Pest and Beneficial Invertebrates[Read More]
Common names Common chickweed, chickweed, starwort, starweed, bindweed, chicken-weeds, winter weed, satin flower, tongue grass, chickwhirtles, cluckenweed, mischievous Jack, skirt buttons, cyrillo, and white bird’s eye. Fun fact Did you notice how many common names refer to chickens? It turns out that this weed was used as a go-to in chicken and bird diets! Latin…Read more about Weed Spotlight: Common Chickweed[Read More]