The 2026 Northwest Indiana Vegetable Farmer Workshop will be held on February 2, 2026, 1:00 – 4:00 PM Central Time at the Porter County Public Library, 103 Jefferson Street, Valparaiso, IN. Save the date and register now! Register: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9vILKOLOj3T7nDw. PARP and CCH credits expected. Payments for PARP credits should be made in advance by mailing a[Read More…]
Liz Maynard
Clinical Engagement Assistant Professor of Horticulture
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Liz Maynard's website
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Liz Maynard's website
This article provides a summary of information provided by Purdue Extension specialists at the 2025 Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center (SWPAC) Pumpkin Field Day. Diverse Pumpkin and Winter Squashes Dr. Liz Maynard gave a presentation on the diversity of pumpkins and winter squashes, covering different market types, their botanical classifications, maturity indicators, and storage life. Dr.[Read More…]
Basil downy mildew has appeared in northern Indiana. As described in a previous article, this pathogen does not overwinter; instead, it must blow in from the south. It can move rapidly through the crop, making it unmarketable. Earlier this year, Meg McGrath, plant pathologist retired from Cornell, notified us that Rutgers researchers are requesting[Read More…]
3As Indiana enters the prime transplanting window for warm-season crops, vegetable producers must prepare transplants for successful field establishment. With variable spring weather conditions across the state, proper hardening and planting techniques are essential for minimizing losses and ensuring quick establishment. This article outlines critical management practices for growers preparing vegetable transplants for field conditions.[Read More…]
Vegetable Educational Meeting for Vegetable and Pumpkin Farmers February 18th from 8:30 am-11:30 am Purdue Extension, Lake County Office, 2291 North Main St., Crown Point, IN. Agenda • Did you know hot water treatment can help protect your seeds from diseases? • Come meet the new vegetable pathologist, Dr. Cesar Escalante! • Midwest Vegetable Production[Read More…]
Two USDA programs that provide payments to vegetable, fruit, and other specialty crop farmers have January deadlines. The FSA Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) application deadline is January 8, 2025. Payments are based on your specialty crop sales for 2023 or 2024, or for new producers, expected sales in 2025. See the fact sheet[Read More…]
Meet Purdue’s new Extension vegetable pathologist, Dr. César Escalante, and hear about the cucurbit diseases he found in 2024. Learn from Indiana’s cover crop guru, Dr. Eileen Kladivko–she doesn’t speak often at events focused on vegetable crops, so this is a unique opportunity to hear from someone who knows our soils and how cover crops[Read More…]
Recent high temperatures have been above optimum for vegetable crops. Around Indiana, from June 12 to 25 the daily high was more than 90°F on at least 5 days and the low overnight was above 70°F on at least 3 dates (Figure 1). High night temperature is a particular concern because it causes plants to[Read More…]