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 the three sites, including 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…Read more about Spring Planted Cool-Season Cut Flower Update – Snapdragon, Stock, Ornamental Cabbage[Read More]
Laura Ingwell
Entomology
Area(s) of Interest: Vegetable Pest Management, Protected Agriculture, Controlled Environment Agriculture, Urban Agriculture
Area(s) of Interest: Vegetable Pest Management, Protected Agriculture, Controlled Environment Agriculture, Urban Agriculture
Introduction The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens; BSF) is a species of fly in the Stratiomyidae, or soldier fly, family. They are an all black fly that has clear windows near the base of its abdomen that it uses to mimic wasps (Figure 1). BSF adults live for about 5-8 days, during which time they…Read more about The Black Soldier Fly[Read More]
Plant-Parasitic Nematodes Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) are a group of microscopic, worm-like organisms that live in soil or plant tissues and cause damage to crop production. While some species infect aboveground plant parts such as leaves and stems, those of greatest concern across a wide range of vegetables are soil-dwelling species that feed on plant roots….Read more about Understanding Nematodes in Soils of Diversified Vegetable Farms in Indiana[Read More]
Diversified produce growers and u-pick operations are increasingly exploring cut-flower production as a way to broaden their markets and increase revenue. To support this interest, our team of Extension specialists and educators is establishing demonstration sites in Lafayette, Indianapolis, and Vincennes, spanning north-south Indiana. In this article, we share lessons we’ve learned from our vegetable-growing…Read more about Starting Cut-Flower from Seeds: Lessons Learned from Demonstration Sites[Read More]
As the growing season picks up, high tunnel growers planning to cultivate tomatoes should keep an eye out for the small but mighty tomato pinworm, Keiferia lycopersicella (TPW). The adult moths are up to 6 mm in length, with mottled brown spots (Fig. 1). They are active at night and remain hidden, resting on foliage during the…Read more about Time to Start Monitoring for Tomato Pinworm[Read More]
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 about 2025 SWPAC Pumpkin Field Day Recap[Read More]
Corn Earworm https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/veg/cornearworm/ Our dent corn is through with pollination, leaving only our late plantings of sweet corn as a resource for the abundant moths in the landscape. Our thresholds are back down to 1 moth per night AND green silk on the plant to trigger a pesticide application. Did you know that corn earworm…Read more about Insect Trapping Updates[Read More]
Corn Earworm https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/veg/cornearworm/ We are nearing the end of fresh silk on the dent corn population throughout much of the state. This means that for those of you who have late plantings of sweetcorn that have yet to silk, your threshold will drop back down to 1 moth per night on average to trigger an…Read more about Insect Trapping Updates[Read More]
Squash Vine Borer https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/veg/squash-vine-borer/ The number of participants reporting trap catches has declined dramatically. Clinton, Allen, and Henry Counties are consistently reporting 1-4 moths per night. It seems that these populations didn’t get the memo that they are supposed to coordinate their mating during one concentrated time point in the summer. Regardless, at this…Read more about Insect Trapping Updates[Read More]
If you are a high tunnel tomato grower, you may have encountered small, blotchy leaf mines (Figure 1) or tiny brown mottled moths (Figure 2) on your plants in the past few years. These tiny pests are the tomato pinworm, Keiferia lycopersicella (family Gelechiidae). They should not be confused with the leaf mining fly, Liromyza…Read more about Insect Spotlight: Tomato Pinworm[Read More]