Dear Valued Vegetable Crops Hotline Readers, Welcome to this issue of the 2026 Vegetable Crops Hotline newsletter! Our mission remains steadfast: to deliver crucial updates on pest management, production practices, food safety, and marketing opportunities that directly impact your farming operations. Growers and Purdue Extension Educators, your input and expertise make this newsletter a truly…Read more about From The Editor’s Desk[Read More]
Introduction The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens; BSF) is a species of fly in the Stratiomyidae, or soldier fly, family. They are an all black fly that has clear windows near the base of its abdomen that it uses to mimic wasps (Figure 1). BSF adults live for about 5-8 days, during which time they…Read more about The Black Soldier Fly[Read More]
We have experienced several cool days over the past two weeks. One watermelon trial at Southwest Purdue Ag Center was planted on May 4, and during the two days following transplanting, recorded air temperatures dropped below 50°F. We evaluated plant survival 9 days after transplanting. In this trial, we had grafted and non-grafted seedless watermelons…Read more about Watermelon Plant Survival[Read More]
The first week of May certainly didn’t feel like May, as temperatures were 5-10°F below normal across the state (Figure 1). Daytime maximum temperatures struggled to reach 60°F across the northern half of the state, while southern areas only saw low 60s for much of the week. Using Indianapolis as a reference point, given its…Read more about May’s Cold Start And A Pattern Change[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.