Welcome to the Vegetable Crops Hotline (VCH), Purdue Extension’s exclusive newsletter for people in the business of growing vegetables. Spring arrived, and that included severe storms and tornadoes. Our hearts go out to those families and farms that were affected by last week’s storms. This issue contains a lot of information about emergency preparedness and…Read more about From the Editor’s Desk[Read More]
This Spring has already tested emergency response services. Much of Indiana is experiencing severe weather (thunderstorms, heavy rain, strong straight-line winds, and tornadoes). Indiana PREPared (www.inprepared.org) has a number of resources about severe spring weather events. Two specific sites to check out are our “Spring & Summer Severe Weather” page and “Flood Resources for Educators…Read more about Emergency Preparedness[Read More]
Indiana experienced near-normal temperatures for March as the state averaged 40.9◦F, despite the record warmth at the beginning of the month (Figure 1). Weather stations in central, southern, and eastern Indiana experienced record-breaking high temperatures during the first week of March (Figure 2). Cold weather returned during the third week, with several daily low maximum…Read more about Stormy End to March, Elevated Chances for Above-Normal Temperatures through Mid-April[Read More]
This article is the second in a series that covers risks and planning for farms and agribusinesses. The first article, Adapting and Planning for Farm Businesses in Uncertain Times, can be found here. When you hear the term “human resources”, do you automatically envision a large corporation’s department that manages benefits for many employees? Surprisingly,…Read more about Death, Divorce, and Disability: How Can Your Farm Plan for Human Resource Risk?[Read More]
What are brambles? Bramble crops are from the genus Rubus and include blackberries and raspberries. Brambles are among the easiest fruit crops to grow, and the fruit is in high demand due to its exotic flavor and high nutritional value. Raspberries and blackberries can be sold for a greater price per pound than just about…Read more about Incorporating Brambles into a Vegetable Farm in Indiana[Read More]
High tunnels are essential for every vegetable grower as they can modify the growing environment for crop earliness, protect the crop against environmental stress, reduce disease and insect pressure, and extend the growing season. Growing in a high tunnel is like growing crops in an irrigated desert. Natural rainfall is unavailable inside your high tunnel,…Read more about Soil and Water Data is Critical for High Tunnel Growers[Read More]
Almost every year, I have a greenhouse tomato grower or two call me about tomato plants that are distorted and don’t seem to be growing right. The problem often turns out to be ethylene damage. This year, I have already received my first case of heater problem. Please read the article below to avoid or…Read more about Ethylene Damage on Tomato Plants[Read More]
This article was adapted from an Indiana FSA newsletter dated April 4, 2023. For more information about storm damage and disaster relief, read the newsletter. USDA offers several programs to help with recovery from the storms that have impacted farmers in several Indiana counties. Risk Management For producers who have risk protection through Federal Crop Insurance or…Read more about USDA in Indiana Stands Ready to Help Indiana Farmers Recover from Recent Storms[Read More]
The Midwest Vegetable Trial Report series includes reports of applied research relevant to vegetable and melon production in the midwestern U.S. The purpose of the series is to publish results and document the annual results of vegetable and melon research projects. In 2022, 16 trial reports from Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota were published. Variety…Read more about Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports. A Great Resource for Growers.[Read More]
Dr. Betty Feng’s lab within the Department of Food Science at Purdue University is hosting a series of webinars this March and April. The webinars are free to anyone who wishes to participate and will cover various topics, including on-farm food safety and agriculture soil management. Good Agricultural Practice April 11 -The Importance of Produce…Read more about Webinar Series – Scaling up Your Small and Medium-sized Farm[Read More]
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