The Food Systems (FS) Coordinator leads a state extension program with the main focus on realizing value-added opportunities for local food systems. These systems include clusters of producers, processors, distributors, sellers, consumers, and supporting organizations that have proven to enhance the rural and urban economy, the environment, food access and nutrition, and strengthen producers and[Read More…]
The Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture successfully presented the 2022 Indiana Horticulture Conference Webinar Series between February 1 and March 1, 2022. We delivered 18 educational hours to 785 attendees from 19 States and Puerto Rico. We also had several international attendees. The co-chairs Petrus Langenhoven, Stephen Meyers, Lori Jolly-Brown, and Nathan Deppe would[Read More…]
The average American eats almost 9 pounds of cantaloupe and 2 pounds of honeydew each year (Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, 2018). An increased melon consumption is mainly explained by consumer awareness of melon health benefits, year-round availability, creative marketing strategies, and improved cultivars. To address these economic opportunities, retailers, growers, and other industry stakeholders should[Read More…]
There is still time to select sweet pepper varieties for this summer. During the 2020 growing season, I evaluated a new batch of five sweet bell pepper varieties. I also evaluated five sweet tapered pepper varieties for a second season. All varieties (Table 1, Figures 1 & 2) were grown in a high tunnel at[Read More…]
Melon is a crop with diverse fruit characteristics. They have different color, shape, rind pattern, texture, and flavor. In major food stores, cantaloupe and honeydew melons may be the only melon types sold, while the fantastic experience of melon consumption is far more than that. This created an opportunity for selling unique melon fruit at local farmers’ market and with a potentially higher price. It[Read More…]
We know from published research that the health and quality of a vegetable transplant affects how it will establish, grow, and yield in the field. Our recent work comparing tomato and cucurbit seedling growth in different organic growing media and with and without added fertilizer has provided some good examples of this. See Vegetable Crop[Read More…]
Growing media for organic transplant production vary a lot in their chemical composition: pH, electrical conductivity, nutrient levels, and C:N ratio. This of course influences how seedlings grow. Knowing the characteristics of growing media can help growers decide whether adding nutrients or materials to adjust pH are likely to improve seedling growth. As part of[Read More…]
We are pleased to announce that the 2020 Indiana Horticultural Conference & Expo (previously known as the Indiana Horticultural Congress) will be from February 11 through 13, 2020 at the Indianapolis Marriott East Hotel, located in Indianapolis, IN. There are numerous and very exciting changes that will occur at IHC 2020. Additional tracks are added[Read More…]
Finally the time has come to plant warm season crops. Zucchini is a popular summer squash grown throughout Indiana and the United States. It always delivers a bounty of fruit. Yes, technically zucchini is a fruit (botanically classified as a modified berry) but as per the USDA it is listed under the ‘Vegetables and Vegetable[Read More…]
Producing healthy transplants is a critical step for a successful growing season. Choosing the proper growing media is an important first step. Supported by a USDA Specialty Crops Block Grant through the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, researchers from Purdue have been evaluating different organic growing media with and without adding supplemental organic fertilizers for[Read More…]