Welcome to the Vegetable Crops Hotline (VCH), Purdue Extension’s exclusive newsletter for people in the business of growing vegetables. In this issue, we are highlighting soil moisture deficit issues, irrigation resources, Colorado Potato Beetle damage, herbicide injury identification, and disease issues. Included is lots of information about educational opportunities and news from the Indiana Office[Read More…]
At the Purdue Student Farm, we are in full swing with our Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB; Figure 1) management program. On this small farm, these beetles are a consistent threat to the potato crop. This is in part due to their limited ability to rotate, as the whole farm is smaller than the recommended rotation[Read More…]
Tomato pith necrosis is a bacterial disease of tomatoes that occurs sporadically, usually in greenhouses or high tunnels. While this disease can kill or at least ruin marketable yield on tomatoes, the disease usually affects perhaps only a handful of plants in a greenhouse. That is, the disease does not seem to spread beyond the[Read More…]
Are you interested in collaborating with Purdue Entomology on the grant “Improving two-spotted spider mite management in high tunnel cucumber production” funded by North Central SARE, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (LNC20-438)? The primary objectives of this research are to increase our understanding of two-spotted spider mite dynamics and management in a high tunnel cucumber[Read More…]
Tomatoes need a consistent water supply when they start to bloom and set fruit. As plants grow more foliage and have more fruits set, their water needs increase. As a result, the irrigation amount must steadily increase to maintain the consistent soil water content and the water supply to the plants. What would happen if[Read More…]
This time of year, my email inbox and phone text messages are filled with ugly photos of fruit and vegetable crops affected by suspected herbicide exposure. Sometimes the symptomology points toward a clear cause and effect, but most of the time, the answer is not so clear-cut. Here are a couple of recent examples: Cupping[Read More…]
Temperatures warmed into the 80s by the end of Memorial Day weekend, but low dew point temperatures made the heat bearable. The air felt dry, and any time I would stand up from my lawn chair, I would be shocked by static electricity. The state average temperature between May 1 and May 30 was 62.3F,[Read More…]
The moment you’ve all been waiting for! Please help us to get the word out. The 2023 OISC Clean Sweep Pesticide Disposal info/participant form is available via the OISC website at the link https://oisc.purdue.edu/pesticide/clean_sweep.html If you are planning on participating in the program, please complete the attached 2023 OISC Clean Sweep participant form and[Read More…]
This article is a news release that was published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on May 18, 2023. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will cover up to 75% of the costs associated with organic certification, up to $750 per category, through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). Indiana Farm Service Agency[Read More…]
Irrigation is now becoming more critical. Temperatures are high, and many areas are experiencing lower-than-normal rainfall. However, I do have some good news for you if you are looking for a source that has a lot of information about irrigation. Lyndon Kelley is an Irrigation Educator for Purdue Extension and MSU Extension, and he maintains[Read More…]
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