As Indiana growers start the 2020 season, it is important to remember to clean and sanitize equipment and tools. In this article, I would like to discuss the importance of and how to sanitize. Bacteria and fungi that cause plant disease may survive on some types of equipment. Examples include: stakes, transplant trays, shovels, greenhouse…Read more about Clean and Sanitize[Read More]
Vegetable Crops - General
In a normal year, vegetable growers may drop samples by the SW Purdue Ag Center in Vincennes Indiana for problem identification. However, this is far from a normal year. Due to concerns about the coronavirus, SWPAC is closed to walk-in visitors. We do not know how long this situation may last. We have devised an…Read more about Vegetable Samples for the SW Purdue Ag Center[Read More]
Dear Vegetable Crops Hotline readers, Firstly, I want to let you know the status of a few Purdue Extension Events related to fruit and vegetable growers. That PSA Grower Training in LaGrange County that was planned on March 20 was canceled due to concerns about the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). A Strawberry Workshop that planned…Read more about Considerations for Fruit and Vegetable Growers Related to Coronavirus & COVID-19[Read More]
“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” – Yogi Berra No matter what your business does or who it serves, the business (and its employees) need goals and objectives. Yogi Berra sums it up best – you need to have a target or you’ll never make it there. Goals…Read more about Defining Your Dreams[Read More]
As you prepare to fill your high tunnels and greenhouses or even field plots, take a close peek at the weeds in your area. There can be some sneaky pests that have overwintered on the plant material in and around your farm. In high tunnels in particular, I have recently found overwintering populations of two…Read more about Overwintering Pests[Read More]
While not a new technology, I thought it timely to talk about the use of yellow sticky cards as a monitoring tool. These cards will not manage insect pests in your crops, but can be a very valuable monitoring tool in high tunnels and greenhouses. Many of the insect pests that migrate into our crops…Read more about The Utility of Yellow Sticky Cards[Read More]
In the October 2019 issue of the Vegetable Crops Hotline, I referenced the new regulatory changes to herbicides containing the active ingredient paraquat. One of the new requirements is for closed system packaging. To quote the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): “New closed-system packaging (is) designed to prevent transfer or removal of the pesticide except directly…Read more about A Look at the New Closed Transfer System for Paraquat-Containing Herbicides[Read More]
Meteorological winter (December-February) is finally over and we can start looking forward to spring. Across Indiana, winter brought above average precipitation (Figure 1), though below average snowfall. The temperatures were slightly above normal (2°F-6°F; Figure 2) with no record-breaking cold periods. Since there were so few colder-than-normal periods, the overwintering of pests and therefore increased…Read more about The Winter in Review with a Spring Outlook[Read More]
When houseplants and garden seedlings are kept too wet, roots can rot and the fungus that grows in the soil can feed fungus gnats. For houseplants, fungus gnats are usually just a nuisance. When growing seedlings or in a greenhouse adults can spread fungal diseases to flowers. Larvae can spread fungal diseases when they feed…Read more about Proper Watering Prevents Problems with Fungus Gnats[Read More]
One concern for every vegetable grower is finding solutions to pest management problems quickly. An example would be anthracnose of watermelon. You recognize the disease or you have had it officially diagnosed. Or perhaps you anticipate this disease every year and want to start applications of a fungicide early in the season. Where do you…Read more about New Searchable Midwest Vegetable Production Guide[Read More]