To regular readers of the Vegetable Crop Hotline, it may seem that we include an article about tomato spotted wilt virus every year out of custom. However, we have again observed large outbreaks of this disease. Please read the article below carefully if you raise tomato transplants or mature tomatoes in a greenhouse or high…Read more about Tips for Managing Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV)[Read More]


Bolting of crops overwintered in high tunnels is common in the spring. ‘Bolting’ refers to lengthening and blooming of the flowering stalk. Bolting is often a problem because the quality of the marketable part of the plant declines. Also, plants subject to bolting are programmed to die once they complete flowering and seed production so…Read more about Bolting and Blooming in High Tunnels[Read More]


Last week when the heavy frost hit us, air temperature at Southwest Purdue Ag Center (SWPAC) in Vincennes, IN dropped to 24°F. We did not take action for frost protection on the strawberries growing with the annual plasticulture system, considering only two early cultivars start to bloom at that time. However, this appears to be…Read more about Strawberry Frost Protection[Read More]


WHAT: An Indiana Pesticide Clean Sweep Project designed to collect and dispose of suspended, canceled, banned, unusable, opened, unopened or just unwanted pesticides (weed killers, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, miticides, etc.) is being sponsored by the Office of Indiana State Chemist (OISC). This disposal service is free of charge up to 250 pounds per participant. Over…Read more about Clean Sweep 2021[Read More]


USDA is establishing new programs and efforts to bring financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and producers who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions. The new initiative—USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers—will reach a broader set of producers than in previous COVID-19 aid programs. USDA is dedicating at least $6 billion toward the new programs. This…Read more about CFAP 2 – USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers[Read More]


At the Pinney Purdue Ag Center in northern Indiana we had plots in 2020 with no-till sweet corn, pumpkins and winter squash following a rye cover crop. As is common when adapting new planting and tillage systems, we had both challenges and successes. Check out the video presentations to see photos of the plots, and…Read more about No-till Sweet Corn, Pumpkin and Winter Squash after Winter Rye – Reports from 2020[Read More]


Three new vegetable IPM videos in Spanish are available on Youtube. They were made by a team led by Natalie Hoidal, Extension Educator at Univ. of Minnesota. Búsqueda de problemas en el campo (Scouting for problems in the field) Diagnóstico de problemas de las plantas (Diagnosing plant problems) Recolección de plantas enteras para el diagnóstico…Read more about IPM Videos in Spanish from the Great Lakes Vegetable Working Group[Read More]


Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering the free online course  “Risk Management Education for Farmers with On-Farm Visitors”. Producers will learn practical management techniques to enhance the safety and health of their on-farm visitors. For more information about this course, please visit Farmers with On-site Visitors Can Learn to Manage Risk during Free…Read more about A Free Course to Teach Farmers with On-site Visitors to Manage Risk[Read More]


Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Purdue University is looking to hire an Extension Organic Agriculture Specialist. Detailed information about this position is available at Extension Organic Agriculture Specialist (purdue.edu)  If you know someone who might be interested for the position, please encourage them to apply. Thank you for helping spreading the word.


March wrapped up as one of Indiana’s wettest (44th wettest out of 126 years) and warmest (16th warmest).  It was marked by unusually warm days and then cool days. Was it ever just average?  Certainly, most days fell within the climatological range of temperatures. Precipitation seemed to be partial to the southern part of the…Read more about April Showers or Lingering Drought?[Read More]


Purdue University prohibits discrimination against any member of the University community on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or status as a veteran. This material may be available in alternative formats. 1-888-EXT-INFO Disclaimer: Reference to products in this publication is not intended to be an endorsement to the exclusion of others which may have similar uses. Any person using products listed in this publication assumes full responsibility for their use in accordance with current directions of the manufacturer.

Page last modified: August 23, 2023

Vegetable Crops Hotline - Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, 625 Agriculture Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907

© 2026 Purdue UniversityAn equal access/equal opportunity universityCopyright ComplaintsMaintained by Vegetable Crops Hotline

If you have trouble accessing this page because of a disability, please contact Vegetable Crops Hotline at plangenh@purdue.eduAccessibility Resources