Strawberries are primarily grown in matted row system in Indiana, in which bare-root strawberry plants are set in the spring. Runners are established. Fruit is first harvested in the second year and plantings are renovated each year for 2-3 seasons. Growers in the southern part of the state expressed interest in growing strawberries in plasticulture[Read More…]
Crop Management
If you have small fruits, including cherries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and grapes that are setting fruit and ripening, be on the look out for Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) (Figure 1), a small vinegar fly that attacks all the delicious berries mentioned above! If you are a small fruit grower, you’ve likely already heard of SWD,[Read More…]
Plant nutritional status is important for all phases of plant growth and has a direct effect on vigor, fruitfulness, cold hardiness, and other factors. Tissue analysis is the most reliable means of determining plant nutritional status. Combined with soil testing, tissue analysis can help pinpoint the source of problems and determine what measures may be[Read More…]
By now, most harvest is over across the state. As soon as harvest is done, it’s time to begin the renovation process. Matted row strawberry plantings must be renovated each year to establish new crowns for the following year’s crop. For best results, renovation should be started immediately after the harvest is completed to promote[Read More…]
Due to the COVID crisis, most Purdue Extension meetings will be held virtually. Most Purdue Extension staff are working from home and are available to answer your questions by email, phone or through social media. Our contact information is at the end of the newsletter. July 30, 2020 Small Farm Education Field Day and Webinar[Read More…]
Apples are 1-1/2 inch to 2 inch size where you can find them. There is plenty of scarring on fruit from the freeze. Apple scab is also common in unsprayed blocks. Pawpaw fruit are sizing and Phyllostica leaf spot is showing up. Grapes are at cluster close/berry touch so berries should no longer be susceptible[Read More…]
Aphids have been a particularly challenging pest to get under control in our high tunnel strawberries this year. They quickly colonized the strawberries we had growing all winter and took off as the weather warmed (Fig. 1). In my first attempt to knock them back I introduced 2,000 lacewing larvae (22-Apr), too little too late.[Read More…]
Warm, wet weather has led to an uptick in bacterial shot hole disease, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (XAP). We started to see a significant uptick in shot hole on peaches, nectarine and plum before conditions turned dry. Leaves and fruit susceptibility to XAP infection decreases after pit hardening (if you were[Read More…]
Dicamba has been in the headlines the last two weeks. In case you’ve missed it, here are the highlights: On June 3 the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled against the Environmental Protection Agency and its 2018 registration of over-the-top dicamba products Xtend, Engenia, and FeXapan and vacated their registrations. The[Read More…]
Strawberries have rich flavor; sugar, acid, phenolic content, and aroma all together make the wonderful fruit. Many factors are assumed to affect strawberry flavor. Some are supported by scientific evidence, some may be simply people’s impressions. In this article, we discuss some of the factors that are more likely to affect strawberry flavor. Locally grown[Read More…]