Dear Valued Vegetable Crops Hotline Readers,
Welcome to the second edition of the 2026 Vegetable Crops Hotline newsletter! Our mission remains steadfast: to deliver crucial updates on pest management, production practices, food safety, and marketing opportunities that directly impact your farming operations.
In upcoming issues, we’ll cover several critical topics, including emerging pest challenges, innovative irrigation management strategies, the latest developments in high-tunnel production, and many more. We’ll also feature updates on food safety regulations affecting our vegetable industry.
Growers and Purdue Extension Educators, your input and expertise make this newsletter a truly useful resource. If you have hot topics you’d like us to cover, success stories to share, or questions for our Extension specialists, please email Petrus langenhoven or reach out to the specialist directly. We also welcome high-quality photos of pest issues, unusual symptoms, or innovative production practices you’ve implemented on your farm.
What’s Inside This Issue
This first issue of the 2026 season is packed with practical content and educational opportunities to help you hit the ground running as you plan your growing year.
On the research side, Zeus Mateos and Dr. Ian Kaplan take a close look at a question many watermelon growers have been asking: Do managed bumble bees actually improve seedless watermelon yields enough to justify the investment? Given how dependent seedless varieties are on efficient pollen transfer between pollinizer and seedless plants, and the limitations of honey bees in adverse weather, the answer has real dollars-and-cents implications for anyone renting supplemental pollinators.
The calendar ahead is full of learning opportunities I’d encourage you to mark now. If food safety compliance is on your plate, the Safe Produce Indiana team is offering a hands-on Cleaning and Sanitation Workshop on March 25 at Tuttle Orchards in Greenfield, free of charge. Similarly, another PSA training is planned for April 8 in Columbus, IN.
High tunnel operators should take note of the Tri-State High Tunnel School Webinar Series, running every Wednesday from February 25 through April 1, co-organized by Extension specialists from Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan, with tracks for beginner through advanced growers. If you are interested in using horses on your farm, the April 11 workshop may be of interest to you.
Finally, save these two summer dates: the annual Purdue Fruit and Vegetable Field Day on July 16 at the Meigs Horticulture Research Farm, and the Small Farm Education Field Day on July 23 at the Purdue Student Farm. Both events bring hands-on demonstrations, research updates, and networking right to your backyard.
Subscription Information
Hard Copy Subscribers
If you need a hard-copy subscription form and don’t have internet access, please contact your nearest Purdue Extension office. Extension Educators, please download the hard-copy subscription form.
Digital Subscribers
If you receive the newsletter via email, you do not need to take any action. You will continue to receive the newsletter on the issue date.
New digital subscribers can now register their email address
In addition, digital subscribers receive emails with information about articles or announcements that need your immediate attention. These articles will be posted under Hot Topics on the VCH webpage and will be included in the next issue. All previous articles published in the VCH newsletter are available on the Vegetable Crops Hotline website.
Website Links in Newsletter Articles
We frequently include links to websites or online publications. If you can’t access these resources, don’t hesitate to contact your local Purdue Extension office or us to request a hard copy of the information.
Midwest Vegetable Production Guide
The 2026 Midwest Vegetable Production guide is now available for growers, or you can download and print a guide from your computer. The guide is also available for $20 per copy. Contact your Extension Office or Stephen Meyers directly to buy a copy.
Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports
Are you still considering purchasing vegetable seeds? The Midwest Vegetable Trial Report features many articles to help you make an informed decision. The resource also hosts production-related research results.
Best regards,
Petrus Langenhoven, Editor
Clinical Assistant Professor and Vegetable Extension Specialist
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Purdue University