Herbicide drift presents a significant challenge for specialty crop growers. Synthetic auxin-type herbicides, such as dicamba and 2,4-D, pose particular concern for tomatoes. Injury symptoms are typically easy to recognize and include distorted leaves, twisted stems, and malformed fruit. Severity of the damage depends on the herbicide dose and the plant’s growth stage at the…Read more about A Case Study of 2,4-D Drift on Tomatoes[Read More]
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We have received heavy rainfall in recent days across several parts of Indiana. These conditions, combined with the current growth stage of melons (for example, the dense canopy resulting from active vegetative growth) can create favorable conditions for disease development. Diseases that may become problematic under these conditions include gummy stem blight and anthracnose (Figures…Read more about Wet Weather Increases Disease Risk in Cucurbits[Read More]
As of January 1, 2025, Chateau® SW herbicide is no longer registered for use in melon crops in the state of Indiana. While some growers are aware of this development, others are not. The following article discusses the background on Chateau® SW use in melons and addresses some questions growers may have. What is Chateau®…Read more about Chateau® SW Herbicide No Longer Registered for Melons in Indiana[Read More]
The Diverse Corn Belt Project and Purdue Extension will host a free Vermillion County Diverse Farm Tour on August 4th, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The tour will start at Royer Farm Fresh, Clinton, where the production of beef, pork, lamb and chicken from farm to consumers’ plates and management practices for all four species…Read more about Indiana Diverse Farm Tour – Vermillion County[Read More]
You are invited to attend the SWPAC Vegetable Field Day on August 13, 2026, at the Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center (SWPAC) in Vincennes, Indiana. PARP credits will be offered at this event. This free educational event will provide an opportunity to learn about the latest research and Extension programs that support Indiana’s vegetable industry….Read more about Purdue Vegetable Field Day SWPAC[Read More]
Since last Friday, many parts of Indiana have seen a significant amount of rain (Figure 1). However, the spatial variability illustrates how there can never be enough ground observations and measurements to tell the entire story. In a 24-hour period over the weekend, an observer in Lafayette, Indiana, recorded 3.58”, and yet 3 miles to the…Read more about Are Cooler, Drier Conditions in Our Future?[Read More]
The Purdue cut flower team is currently conducting cut flower demonstrations at three locations in Indiana. In this article, we provide updates and observations on cool-season flowers from three sites: open-field and high-tunnel plantings in Vincennes; an open-field site in Indianapolis; and an open-field site in West Lafayette, representing southern, central, and northern Indiana. The…Read more about Spring Planted Cool-Season Cut Flower Update — Dianthus and Centaurea[Read More]
We have seen increasing interest in harvesting strawberry runner tips and producing plug plants on-farm for the next year’s planting. This practice is allowed for cultivars that don’t have a patent or the patent has expired. Several excellent Extension publications describe this process, including Strawberry Plug Plant Production published by Utah State University, and Propagating…Read more about Considerations of Growing Strawberry Plugs by Harvesting Runner Tips[Read More]
We’re pleased to announce that Purdue Extension will host the Indiana Horticulture and Small Farm Conference in January 2027. Please mark your calendars for January 26–28 in Danville, Indiana. Our planning committee has already begun organizing the conference, and we would greatly appreciate your input. We welcome your suggestions for speakers, topics, panels, and more….Read more about Indiana Horticulture and Small Farm Conference[Read More]
The Land Connection received a grant to create a free, interactive tool that helps specialty crop farmers determine which food safety regulations and certifications apply to their farm and goals. It’s important that we build something that actually works for you, not just what we think you might need. That means hearing from real farmers…Read more about The Land Connections is Looking for Your Input[Read More]
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