The Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center (SWPAC) is one of the eight Purdue Agricultural Centers located across Indiana. What makes SWPAC unique is its location in the heart of Indiana’s watermelon-growing region—home to one of the state’s most significant specialty crop industries. In addition to watermelon and cantaloupe, southern Indiana is known for its diverse fruit…Read more about Southwest Purdue Agriculture Center Field Day Set for June 26[Read More]
Vegetable Crops - General
The EPA is enacting new requirements for agricultural pesticide applicators. An increasing number of pesticide labels require applicators to utilize an online system called Bulletins Live! Two to determine if additional pesticide use limitations are required to protect threatened or endangered species or habitat based on 1) application location, 2) pesticide product, and 3) application month. This…Read more about New EPA Requirement for Pesticide Application[Read More]
Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit a local grower who installed an insectary strip adjacent to their high tunnel last year. They will be hosting a field day in June (Register HERE), so I wanted to take a sneak peek and see how the plants (and insects) were doing. The plants are…Read more about Introducing the Fourlined plant bug (Poecilocapus lineatus)[Read More]
The last few weeks have been on the drier side, particularly for northwestern and west-central Indiana (Figure 1). While temperatures have been seasonal, they are still gradually increasing as we approach summer. Therefore, evapotranspiration rates are starting to increase. This has resulted in the U.S. Drought Monitor classifying much of northern Indiana as Abnormally Dry…Read more about A Bit of Rain Coming Our Way[Read More]
Dear Valued VCH Readers, Welcome to this week’s edition of the Vegetable Crops Hotline! In this issue, we bring you a diverse range of content to support your farming operations. We hope these insights help you navigate the challenges and opportunities of this critical time in the growing season. Growers and Purdue Extension Educators Your input…Read more about From the Editor’s Desk[Read More]
The Green tiger beetle (Cicindela campestris) is a striking ground-dwelling beetle known for its metallic green sheen and ferocious predatory behavior. Native to Europe but with several North American relatives (e.g., Cicindela sexguttata), this beetle belongs to the family Carabidae within the order Coleoptera (Figure 1). It is commonly found in dry, sandy habitats, including…Read more about Green Tiger Beetles: Ferocious Little Hunters of the Ground[Read More]
Dear Valued VCH Readers, Welcome to this week’s edition of the Vegetable Crops Hotline! I can’t believe it is May already! The 8-14-day precipitation and temperature outlook is leaning below and above normal, respectively. Generally, the precipitation outlook for May is leaning towards below-normal levels. As many growers prepare to set out transplants in May,…Read more about From The Editor’s Desk[Read More]
The Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day, scheduled for July 24, 2025, will feature demonstrations and presentations designed to support small-scale farming. The Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture will co-host the event with the Purdue Student Farm. Attendees can learn from Purdue University and Purdue Extension experts about topics such as small-scale farming hacks,…Read more about Small Farm Education Field Day Will Feature New Research, Live Demonstrations and Purdue Experts[Read More]
The Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center (SWPAC) is one of the eight Purdue Agricultural Centers located across Indiana. What makes SWPAC unique is its location in the heart of Indiana’s watermelon-growing region—home to one of the state’s most significant specialty crop industries. In addition to watermelon and cantaloupe, southern Indiana is known for its diverse fruit…Read more about Southwest Purdue Agriculture Center Field Day Set for June 26[Read More]
Date/Time: Session #1 6/16/2025 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (CDT) Session #2 6/17/2025 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (CDT) Registration Deadline: 6/16/2025 1:00 PM (CDT) Fee: No Fee Register HERE https://isbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/17091 Point of Contact: Catherine King (812) 425-7232 Program Format: Multi-session Course Training Topics: Agribusiness, Buy/Sell Business, Legal Issues, Managing a Business Description ***This is an online-only event.*** Secure…Read more about Succession Planning Basics for Farmers (2-part live webinar series)[Read More]