Throughout the state, most of us are in some stage of tree fruit bloom and as fruit producers, you all know how important insect pollinators are for ensuring good fruit set and even quality! Whether you’re producing tree fruits, nuts, or small fruit (even grapes, although they aren’t dependent on insect pollinators), we know that…Read more about Protecting pollinators during bloom[Read More]
Crop Management
Many people, including me, were surprised to look out the window Monday morning and see the ground and trees white with snow. A heck of a way to start the week! Although it looked frightening to see trees, buds and flowers covered in snow, luckily temperatures did not drop too low. In general, lows were…Read more about Easter snowfall[Read More]
In Indiana, our ‘normal’ or average weather is one of extremes, punctuated with an occasional glorious summer day of sun and 76 degrees F. This year has been one of flooding and droughts, freezes and scorching heat. Again. With these weather extremes come physiological disorders and summer fruit rots, for those lucky enough to even…Read more about Pits, Spots and Rots[Read More]
Growers interested in growing strawberries on a plasticulture system can choose to use plug plants or bare-root plants. The pros and cons of using each of the planting materials was discussed in a previous article. This article will discuss the importance of planting dates for growers who chose to use plug plants. In the…Read more about Getting Ready to Plant Strawberries in a Plasticulture System – Planting Date[Read More]
We were all hoping it would happen later, but unfortunately the spotted lanternfly (SLF) (Lycorma delicatula) (Figure 1), an invasive planthopper with a piercing-sucking feeding strategy, was officially detected in Vevay, Indiana (Switzerland County) for the first time in July 2021. You can see pictures and read more about the detection at the Indiana Department…Read more about Spotted lanternfly has been detected in Indiana[Read More]
Throughout Indiana orchards, Phytophthora root and crown rot continues to be a major cause of tree death (Fig. 1), and losses in small fruit, as well (Fig. 2). The disease is caused by the several members of the genus Phytophthora, and includes (but is by no means limited to) the following species): P. cactorum, P….Read more about Recent Rains Driving Phuture Phytophthora Problems[Read More]
