Welcome to the Vegetable Crops Hotline (VCH), Purdue Extension’s exclusive newsletter for people in the business of growing vegetables. In this issue, we highlight the first sighting of downy mildew on cucumber in Northern Indiana, strawberry plug production, interviews with strawberry growers, provide an update on vegetable pricing at the Clearspring Produce Auction, and cover…Read more about From the Editor’s Desk[Read More]
Downy mildew has been observed in Adam County in northern Indiana on cucumber. In addition, downy mildew on cucumber has been reported in southern Michigan and northern Ohio. Growers in northern Indiana should manage for downy mildew on valuable cucurbit crops. Growers throughout the state should scout for the disease. Growers should assume that all…Read more about Downy Mildew of Cucurbits[Read More]
I visited Kube-Pak (Allentown, NJ) during the North American Strawberry Growers Summer Tour. Kube-Pak wholesales bedding plants, plugs, potted plants and more. Our visit at Kube-Pak’s was at peak time of strawberry business. Mr. Rob Swanekamp showed us the steps of growing strawberry plugs, from tip production to shipping. The strawberry plugs’ shipping date starts…Read more about Strawberry Plug Production at Kube-Pak[Read More]
Have you ever heard of the song by Glenn Frey, “The Heat Is On”? No pun intended, but the heat is certainly on! Heat index values over 110F have made things sticky and oppressive across the state. As I drove into work on Thursday morning, the humidity was so high that I had to defrost…Read more about The Heat and Humidity Is On, But Will It Last?[Read More]
This summer, we interviewed four farmers growing strawberries in plasticulture in Indiana. Their business is on different scales, and they sell through varied market channels. How do strawberries fit into their overall crop and market strategy? What are the opportunities and challenges? The lessons the experienced farmers share will be of great value to others…Read more about Strawberry Chat Update— Farmer Interviews[Read More]
If you work or have worked with specialty crops, we are reaching out for your help. To develop a scouting protocol for twospotted spider mite management, we are aiming to identify the limit of detection of this pest by growers. We are hoping that you will take 5-10 minutes to complete a survey displaying a…Read more about Mite Insect Survey[Read More]
The Clearspring Produce Auction is located just 2 miles south of US 20 in Clearspring Township in the Heart of the LaGrange-Elkhart Amish Settlement. It is within easy driving distance of the towns of Shipshewana, Topeka, Emma, and LaGrange. Produce is sold 3 days a week throughout most of the growing season (Tuesday, Thursday,…Read more about Clearspring Produce Auction Price Update[Read More]
Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day returns Wednesday, September 27, 2023, to OSU Wooster Campus in Wooster, OH. WHAT TO EXPECT In-field demonstrations of cultivation tools for vegetables and row crops Demonstrations of implements on both four-wheel and two-wheel tractors Expo featuring industry-leading cultivation companies and cutting-edge tools Conversations with international cultivation experts …and more! The field day connects farmers,…Read more about Mechanical Weed Control Field Day[Read More]
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