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 article highlights Lacewing’s, and we examine insect preferences for cucumber varieties. This issue also includes an article about vegetable grafting, weather impacts from the eclipse event, several educational opportunities during the summer and fall, and a price update from the Clearspring Produce Auction.
Timeless Articles
This issue features articles published about seed and root maggots. At this time of year, many growers are transplanting early-season crops such as onions, cole crops, radishes, turnips, and rutabagas. Other crops affected by this pest include cucumbers, melons, and watermelons. Now-retired Dr. Rick Foster wrote many of the articles listed. Please refer all queries to Laura Ingwell at lingwell@purdue.edu. For the most recent regional recommendations, refer to the Midwest Vegetable Production Guide.
Insect Spotlight: Seedcorn Maggot. Issue 732. https://vegcropshotline.org/article/insect-spotlight-seedcorn-maggot/
Seedling Damage by Maggot Pests. Issue 673. https://vegcropshotline.org/article/seedling-damage-by-maggot-pests/
Seedcorn Maggots and Wireworms in Cucurbits. Issue 658. https://vegcropshotline.org/article/seed-corn-maggots-and-wireworms-in-cucurbits/
Seed and Root Maggots. Issue 625. https://vegcropshotline.org/article/seed-and-root-maggots-3/
Root and Seed Maggot. Issue 596. https://vegcropshotline.org/article/root-and-seed-maggots/
Seed and Root Maggots. Issue 594. https://vegcropshotline.org/article/seed-and-root-maggots/
Website Links
Frequently, we include links to websites or publications available online. If you can’t access these resources, don’t hesitate to contact your local Extension office or us to request a hard copy of the information.
Midwest Vegetable Production Guide
The Midwest Vegetable Production guide is now available for growers to visit online at mwveguide.org. You can also download a free copy of the guide from your computer at mwveguide.org/guide. You may also purchase a hard copy for $12 from Stephen Meyers, slmeyers@purdue.edu.
Do not hesitate to contact me at plangenh@purdue.edu if you have any questions or suggestions for improving the newsletter. Let me know if there are specific topics you would like to see more of in the newsletter. Also, let us know if things are not working for you. We want to improve the newsletter, and your input is valuable.
We hope you enjoy the newsletter. Happy reading!