We have received a number of reports of spider mite problems lately. Some of them have been on crops grown in high tunnels, particularly tomatoes and cucumbers. High tunnels are the perfect environment for mites because it is hot, which means they reproduce faster, and the mites are protected from rainfall, which is a major…Read more about Spider Mites[Read More]
Corn earworms are flying. I had 10 in my pheromone trap this morning (June 20). With the surrounding dent corn in most areas far from producing silks, the threshold for spraying silking sweet corn is 1 moth per night, well below what we are catching. So growers who have sweet corn with fresh silks are…Read more about Corn Earworm[Read More]
Populations of the overwintering generation of striped cucumber beetles are just about at their peak levels right now (Figure 1.). For muskmelons and cucumbers, this generation is the one that we worry the most about in terms of transmitting the pathogen that causes bacterial wilt. As a result, our spray threshold is relatively low, 1…Read more about Striped Cucumber Beetles[Read More]
I have received some reports of Colorado potato beetles damaging both potatoes and tomatoes, including tomatoes in high tunnels. Both the adults and larvae are voracious feeders. As with most pests, it is best to get potato beetles under control before the populations get too high. Also, killing small larvae is easier than killing large…Read more about Colorado Potato Beetles[Read More]
Since we are well into fungicide application time, below I have listed 10 rules that will help vegetable growers apply fungicides effectively and safely. Apply fungicides prior to the development of disease. Although many fungicides have systemic (“kick back”) action they will not completely eradicate diseases after they have started. And by the time a single…Read more about 10 Useful Rules for Fungicide Application[Read More]
Recent dry weather raises concern about effectiveness of preemergent herbicides. Preemergent herbicides applied on the soil surface need to be moved into the soil where the target weed seeds are germinating (normally 1-2 inches deep) in order to be effective. The process normally requires 0.5 to 0.75 inch of water within a few days of herbicide application….Read more about Effectiveness of Preemergent Herbicides[Read More]
Developing and mixing your nutrient solution is one of several very important steps in the production process. Mistakes are easily made when fertilizers are mixed. Not only does this have a cost implication, but also it can have severe consequences on production and therefore revenue. In the previous article Taking Care of Plant Nutrition in…Read more about Taking Care of Plant Nutrition in Your High Tunnel – Fertilizer and Nutrient Solution Mixing Tips[Read More]
The latest Census of Agriculture reported that 244,974 U.S. farmers utilized more than 14 million acres to grow specialty crops in 2012. In Indiana 2,935 farmers grew specialty crops on 63,252 acres. Indiana’s specialty crop industry includes operations that grow fruit and vegetable, tree nut, dried fruit, horticulture, floriculture, and nursery crops. Specialty crops include…Read more about Is My Farm Profitable? The Drivers of Farm Profitability[Read More]
Indiana Fruit & Vegetable Field Tour The tour will be held at Tuttle Orchards, 5717 North 300 West Greenfield IN 46140, June 28, 9:00 am -4:00 pm. On-site registration 9 am at Tuttle Orchard. Registration fee is $5 per person. For further questions contact Lori Jolly-Brown at ljollybr@purdue.edu or (765) 494-1296. Southwest Purdue Ag Center Field Day Southwest…Read more about Upcoming Events[Read More]
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