The April 8th solar eclipse reduced temperature and light for a period in the afternoon of an otherwise mostly sunny day. Sensors in an unheated high tunnel with open end walls at the Pinney Purdue Ag Center, Wanatah, IN, captured the change as the moon covered 96% of the sun (Figure 1). The air temperature[Read More…]
Featured Article Many Indiana vegetable crops begin life as transplants. If lack of nutrients, lack of light, disease, or other problems slow growth during this stage, it may reduce establishment success and/or growth and yield in the field or high tunnel. Good management of the following factors should lead to healthy transplants (Figure 1). Time[Read More…]
The USDA 2022 Ag Census was released on February 13, 2024. What does it say about vegetable production in Indiana? The number of farms growing vegetables for sale is 1,456, just 1.9% more than reported in the 2017 census. The acreage of vegetables harvested for sale is 38,483, a decrease of 4.1% from the 2017[Read More…]
Save the Date! NWI Vegetable Growers Series Programs for vegetable farmers are scheduled for Feb. 1, 2024, in Elkhart and Porter Counties. The half-day event will include presentations on pumpkin weed management, compost use in high tunnels, soil health, and a marketing panel. PARP credits are available. $10 cash is payable on the day of[Read More…]
Pumpkins, peppers, sweet corn, compost, tomatoes, and more will be discussed at the August 24th Vegetable Twilight Meeting at Pinney Purdue Ag Center, 5 to 8 p.m. Central Time. Vegetable farmers, market gardeners, urban farmers, and home gardeners are invited to tour trials and hear from researchers and educators about weed management in pumpkins; key[Read More…]
Vegetable equipment for small farms will be demonstrated on August 10, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Central Time, at the Pinney Purdue Agricultural Center. Market gardeners, urban farmers, home and community gardeners are invited to attend and learn about equipment and tools for seeding, planting, weed management, and tillage. Demonstration equipment will include a[Read More…]
As we approach warmer days in May and June, it’s time to prepare for transplanting warm-season vegetable crops such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and squash. Growers preparing vegetable transplants should plan for the process of hardening or conditioning their transplants to outdoor temperatures, light, and soil moisture conditions. By now, you should have started your[Read More…]
On February 9, 2023, Purdue Extension will host the Northwest Indiana Vegetable Series. Pests and diseases present challenges for vegetable producers. This program is designed to give growers the knowledge to manage these and improve their production. This will be a half day program held at Gelsosomo’s Pizzeria in Valparaiso and Unity Gardens in South Bend.[Read More…]
NW Indiana vegetable farmers may be wondering if they missed information about the Illiana Vegetable Growers Symposium (aka ‘Teibel’s Meeting’) which normally shows up in the mailbox or email just after Thanksgiving. You haven’t missed anything. Instead of the traditional one-day educational program held at Teibel’s Restaurant in early January, Purdue Extension in NW Indiana[Read More…]
The Midwestern Regional Climate Center recently released a freeze date tool. It makes it easy to find historical temperature information that may help growers plan. This article provides a quick introduction to the tool. Many readers are familiar with the average first fall frost and last spring frost dates, and the frost-free growing season between[Read More…]