One of our earliest harvested fruit crops in Indiana are strawberries. This is good and bad news, depending upon the occurrence of a late spring freeze. Strawberries are very susceptible to these freezes for a number of reasons: Air temperature at ground level is often colder than the reported low temperature, low spots may be[Read More…]
Crop Management
Did you know that almost half of the food we consume every day comes from crops the USDA categorizes as “minor” or “specialty” crops? Compared to the acreage of corn and soybean in the Midwest, fruit and vegetable crops are only a small percentage of crops grown. Not surprisingly, agrochemical companies focus their effort on[Read More…]
The USDA Coronavirus Assistance Program (CFAP) is accepting applications up until tomorrow (Sept. 11). These should be made by contacting a USDA-FSA office. Producers of specialty crops are eligible for CFAP payments for losses for the following three categories: Had crops that suffered a five percent-or-greater reduction in sales price between mid-January and mid-April as[Read More…]
Grape harvest continues. Recent rainy weather is making late season fruit rots more problematic on susceptible varieties. Apples are sizing up nicely and mid-season varieties are beginning to ripen. Primocane black and red raspberries are beginning to ripen. Black Magic primocane blackberry harvest is winding down and APF45 harvest is just starting. Pawpaw fruit are[Read More…]
Modern clonal rootstocks are the foundation-and literal roots– to modern apple growing. These rootstocks ensure growers have orchards of relatively small trees that can be densely planted and result in earlier and greater bearing than what was historically possible. This is an obvious improvement over waiting multiple decades for an orchard to become profitable. However,[Read More…]
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…]
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…]