The Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan Tri-state Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) conference is Saturday and Sunday, November 12th and 13th, in Ft, Wayne, IN. The conference starts with a Hawkins Family Farm tour on Saturday morning. Experts with Central State University, The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), in collaboration with…Read more about Tri-state (Indiana, Ohio, Michigan) Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Conference in Nov. in Ft. Wayne[Read More]
At Pinney Purdue (PPAC) 2.67 inches of rain fell July 27 through August 9. The potential evapotranspiration (PET) over the period was 1.68 inches. Estimates for water use by the crops are equal to or just slightly lower than potential evapotranspiration. For tomatoes, estimated water use was 1.68 inches, and for watermelons, 1.52 inches. There…Read more about Irrigation Demonstration Update Aug 9, 2022, Pinney Purdue Ag Center[Read More]
Squash bugs and cucumber beetles (both spotted and striped) are in full swing this time of year on your cucurbit crops. We no longer have to worry about flowers developing into harvestable fruits, so it is a time that you need to think strategically about insect pest damage thresholds in relation to the decision to…Read more about Late Season Pest Management in Pumpkins[Read More]
Attendees at a July field day at the Meigs Horticulture Research Farm in Lafayette, Indiana saw first-hand the potential of cover crops to suppress weeds in a SARE-funded demonstration plot. First, some background: Three cover crop species were sown with a ten-foot drill on September 10, 2021: Oats at 100 lb/acre Cereal rye at 65…Read more about Cover Crop Demonstration Plots Show Weed Suppression Potential[Read More]
Millennials and Gen Z are predicted to shape emerging food trends in America. Millennials – the largest living generation – are spending more food dollars in restaurants and convenient meal prepping than previous generations. Millennials are usually described as progressive, open to trying new foods, and willing to value sustainable food attributes. Gen Z –…Read more about For Young Consumers Farm-to-Fork Is Not Organic[Read More]
July temperatures averaged 1◦F above normal but had a couple of periods of extreme heat. Twelve stations recorded maximum temperatures in excess of 100◦F. Portions of the month were cooler than normal, which gave way to warmer temperatures again in the last week of July. The heat and humidity continued during the first week of…Read more about Warm Temperatures and Rain Dominate Early August with Cooler Weather Inbound[Read More]
Southern blight of pepper and tomato thrives under hot, dry conditions. Usually, such conditions are more likely in August. Production under tunnels may contribute to the dry conditions that influences southern blight. This article will discuss the symptoms, biology and management of southern blight of tomato. Southern blight has a wide host range affecting many vegetable,…Read more about Southern Blight of Tomato and Pepper[Read More]
Recent heavy rains have caused an increase in foliar disease in many vegetable fields. A sudden increase in foliar disease may lead some growers to purchase expensive fungicides to take care of the problem. However, there are several considerations before one applies the most expensive fungicide. The optimum time to apply a very effective, and…Read more about Late Season Fungicide Applications[Read More]
Root-knot nematodes (RKN) are a devasting soilborne pest on a wide range of vegetables and fruits. Root-knot nematode infections result in root swellings called galls (Figure 1). Heavily infected crops by RKN display aboveground symptoms such as stunted growth, wilting, and leaf yellowing. We often found root-knot nematode causes damage to watermelons, cantaloupes, and tomatoes…Read more about Root-knot Nematode on Vegetable Crops[Read More]
Rainfall over the past few weeks has helped to improve drought conditions across much of Indiana. Northeastern and southwestern Indiana have benefited the most, removing previous Abnormally Dry or Moderate Drought status from the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM; Figure 1). Unfortunately, west-central Indiana and near the greater Cincinnati area have been missing out from most…Read more about Drought Improving … for now[Read More]