In March 2015 the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture appointed Dr. Petrus Langenhoven as Horticulture and Hydroponics Crop Specialist. During the past 18 years Dr. Petrus Langenhoven has dedicated his career to the development of the horticulture sector in Sub-Saharan Africa. His career started off at the Agricultural Research Council in Stellenbosch, South Africa….Read more about Exciting Future for Horticulture in Indiana[Read More]
General Information
The industry, reference materials, societies and organizations, periodicals, botany, taxonomy, physiology and morphology
As you all know, many of our vegetable crops are dependent upon pollinators to move pollen from flower to flower. The cucurbits, muskmelons, cucumbers, watermelons, pumpkins, and squash, are completely dependent on insect pollination. Eggplant, okra, lima beans, and peppers will set fruit without pollinators but can have increased yield if pollinators are present. Honey…Read more about Honey Bees and Other Pollinators[Read More]
Background. Rapid growth in the craft beer industry is stimulating Indiana’s economy and creating an opportunity for Indiana farmers to start growing hops. In 2012, the Indiana craft brewing industry contributed over 600 million dollars to the state’s economy. The industry continues to grow, increasing from 63 breweries in 20131 to nearly 100 in 2015,…Read more about State of the Indiana Hops Industry[Read More]
While the hard copy of the Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers 2015 (ID-56) has been available since early January, the on-line version is updated as needed. Below I outline the latest changes. Page 40, Table 16. Several insecticide products were added to the “Insecticide Labeling for Greenhouse Use” table. Page 100, Cucurbit chapter….Read more about Updates to the Midwest Vegetable Production Guide, 2015[Read More]
WebsitesBotany and Plant Path Extension – Vegetables ag.purdue.edu/btny/Extension/Pages/VegetablePathology.aspx Entomology Extension – Vegetables – extension.entm.purdue.edu/veg/commercial/ Food Safety for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables – ag.purdue.edu/hla/foodsafety Hort Extension – ag.purdue.edu/hla/Extension/ Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab – www.ppdl.purdue.edu Purdue Extension – extension.purdue.edu Purdue Small Farms – ag.purdue.edu/extension/smallfarms/ TwitterHort Extension – @PurdueHortExtRick Foster – @purduefvinsectNW Commercial Hort (Liz Maynard) –…Read more about Purdue Vegetable Connections on Social Media and Online[Read More]
Two USDA grant programs may be of interest to vegetable growers or grower organizations. The Rural Energy for America Program helps growers and small rural business improve energy efficiency, or purchase or install renewable energy systems. The program includes guaranteed loan financing and grant funding. For more information see the USDA website at www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-energy-america-program-renewable-energy-systems-energy-efficiency or…Read more about Grant Programs: Rural Energy for America and Specialty Crop Block Grant[Read More]
The Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers, or ID-56, remains a popular resource for growers in the region. If you haven’t got the 2015 edition yet, don’t delay! Members of the Indiana Vegetable Growers Association for 2015 receive a copy at no additional charge and hard copies can be purchased from The Education Store…Read more about 2015 Edition of Midwest Vegetable Production Guide (ID-56) and Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports from 2014 Now Available[Read More]
Scott Monroe, former Extension ANR Educator in Daviess County, began work in a new role on January 1 as Purdue Extension’s new Food Safety Educator. Scott grew up on a watermelon farm in southwest Indiana and has spent his entire career involved in different facets of the produce industry. He will be based at the…Read more about A Familiar Face in a New Role[Read More]
The goal of the Vegetable Crops Hotline is to provide vegetable growers with timely information that helps you to improve your vegetable production and marketing. This url tinyurl.com/lqww2lw links to a very short survey that will help us to make the Hotline more useful to you. We are especially interested in any comments you have…Read more about Readers: Help us Improve this Newsletter[Read More]
Welcome to a new year of the Vegetable Crops Hotline, Purdue Extension’s newsletter for people in the business of growing vegetables. Our goal is to provide timely information that will be useful for Indiana vegetable growers. If there is something you’d like to see included, please let us know. Frequently we include links to web…Read more about Welcome to the 2015 Vegetable Crops Hotline[Read More]