Dicamba has been in the headlines the last two weeks. In case you’ve missed it, here are the highlights: On June 3 the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled against the Environmental Protection Agency and its 2018 registration of over-the-top dicamba products Xtend, Engenia, and FeXapan and vacated their registrations. The…Read more about Dicamba Herbicide Updates and New Resources[Read More]
Indiana has been very dry the last several weeks (Figure 1) and conditions are starting to show in lawns and fields. This dryness has been exacerbated by low humidity and warmer temperatures (Figure 2). After a nice respite this past weekend, temperatures will start rising again into the weekend, but may not seem too uncomfortable…Read more about Warm, Dry Weather Causing Abnormally Dry Conditions Across Indiana[Read More]
While in your fields in the last week you may have noticed fewer striped cucumber beetles on the leaves and stems of the growing cucurbit plants (Figure 1). This is because there are two generations of this pest in Indiana; the 1st generation adults that overwintered in the field have mated and left behind their…Read more about Cucumber Beetle Updates and Spray Considerations[Read More]
We received calls recently reporting observations of leaf curling on tomatoes. This article discusses factors that may cause tomato leaf curling. In a similar way as other vegetables, hot and dry conditions may cause leaf curling on tomatoes. In late spring and early summer, plants that are actively growing and developing fruit have a high…Read more about Tomato Leaf Curling[Read More]
I really thought I was staying ahead of the insects in my crucifer greens pretty well, but as you can see from my ravaged arugula plant (Figure 1), I was wrong! It’s that time of year again when holes may be appearing in your favorite crucifer crops, including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, arugula, Brussel sprouts…and…Read more about Stay Ahead of Caterpillars in Your Crucifers![Read More]
Squash bugs are a pest of cucurbit crops and can sometimes go unnoticed until late in the season when the local populations have built up and you see them in high numbers (Figure 1) attacking the fruits of your crop. Squash bugs are similar in appearance to stink bugs but smell much more pleasant (in…Read more about Now is the Time to Treat Squash Bugs[Read More]
This disease was observed in a home garden recently on table beet (Figure 1). I was surprised considering how dry it has been. Cercospora leaf spot also affects swiss chard. Symptoms include circular leaf spots that may have a reddish margin. The center of the lesions may start off a light brown and turn to gray after the fungus (Cercospora beticola) begins to sporulate….Read more about Cercospora Leaf Spot of Beet[Read More]
Strawberries have a rich flavor; sugar, acid, phenolic content, and aroma all together make the wonderful fruit. Many factors are assumed to affect strawberry flavor. Some are supported by scientific evidence, some may be simply people’s impressions. In this article, we discuss some of the factors that are more likely to affect strawberry flavor. Locally…Read more about What Factors Affect Strawberry Flavor?[Read More]
Aphids have been a particularly challenging pest to get under control in our high tunnel strawberries this year. They quickly colonized the strawberries we had growing all winter and took off as the weather warmed (Figure 1). In my first attempt to knock them back I introduced 2,000 lacewing larvae (22-Apr), too little too late….Read more about Organic Aphid Control Update[Read More]
A few weeks ago, the Great Lakes Vegetable Producer’s Network discussed hoophouse nutrient management. Judson Reid from Cornell University and David Van Eeckhout from The Good Acre, St. Paul, MN, were the invited speakers. They shared their insights. I find them very helpful, so I want to pass my notes on to Indiana hoophouse growers….Read more about Hoophouse Nutrient Management — Notes from Great Lakes Vegetable Producer’s Network Weekly Roundtable Discussion[Read More]
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