We’re still in May and already it’s been a very challenging year for many growers. Freezing temperatures blanketed much of the state April 15-17 and again more recently on May 9. Damage ranges from moderate to extreme. Even a week after the most recent freeze, damage is still not obvious unless you cut fruit. Fruit…Read more about Freeze damage[Read More]
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Becoming the Employer of Choice Program This program is geared for current and future farm managers/owners looking to improve their human resource management skills. The program includes interactive sessions for managers to increase management awareness and ability. These sessions aim to build skills in a wide variety of human resource management topics important to farm…Read more about Becoming the Employer of Choice[Read More]
The horticultural entomology team is happy to report that we’re continuing efforts to support Indiana apple growers by monitoring tree fruit pests and reporting what we find! On April 22, 2020, we placed pheromone-baited monitoring traps for two important tree fruit pests, the codling moth and Oriental fruit moth at the Meigs Purdue Agricultural Center…Read more about Ready, Set, Monitor! Traps are set to detect key pests of tree fruit: Codling moth and Oriental fruit moth[Read More]
As we’ve talked about previously, once winter chilling is fulfilled, the rate of tree growth and development is largely dependent on temperature. This is clearly evident in the data over the last 10 years (see Figure 1). In 2012, we had an extremely early and warm spring, rapid accumulation of Growing Degree Days, and very…Read more about Spring temperatures[Read More]
The recent spate of cool, wet weather has left one organism happy, Venturia inaequalis, the fungus that causes apple scab. Most of the state just underwent an extreme scab period, and unfortunately, few of us could do anything about it because of the combination of rain and wind. The revised Mill’s table (from http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/tfabp/revmills.htm )identifies…Read more about Apple Scab[Read More]
Due to the COVID crisis, all Purdue Extension meetings have been cancelled until further notice. Some may be offered by distance education, but no in-person meetings will be allowed. Most Purdue Extension staff are working from home. We are available to answer your questions by email, phone or through social media. Our contact information is…Read more about Extension Events[Read More]
Very happy to share these videos, produced by the Extension Entomology team, highlighting our collaboration with the Indiana melon industry on pollinators and pesticides. We are always looking for partners, just reach out to your Extension Specialists to find out how. Click here for video Click here for video Click here for video
Growth and development in fruit crops is continuing slowly across the state due to cool temperatures and resulting low growing degree day accumulation. It’s been a rough start to spring to say the least. Frost and freeze damage from the April 15-16 events has become more obvious, and there are still risks of freezing temperatures in…Read more about Crop Conditions[Read More]
Strawberries growing in the matted-row system are in the blooming stage. Open flowers cannot tolerate temperatures lower than 30°F (Figure 1). Strawberry growers should be prepared for the coming low temperatures this week. Row covers (Figure 2) can be effective in protecting strawberry flowers. In our earlier trial, 1.5 oz/sq row covers provided 4-6 degrees…Read more about Using Row Cover or Sprinkler Irrigation for Cold Protection of Strawberries[Read More]
The earth’s position and movement around the sun welcomed the spring equinox on March 19th, and meteorologists in the northern hemisphere welcomed spring on March 1st. Unfortunately, the atmosphere – particularly over the midwestern and Great Lakes states – refused to acknowledge those dates to offer us a more traditional spring. Sure, Indiana’s spring 2020…Read more about Ready for Winter to Be Over[Read More]
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