The University of Minnesota Department of Horticultural Science takes a fresh, encouraging new look at growing fruit in the home garden. This guide will help gardeners decide which fruits are right for their gardens and their lifestyles, taking readers through every step from planning, choosing cultivars, and planting, to harvesting and pruning. Readers will find information on…Read more about Growing Fruit in the Northern Garden[Read More]
Crop Management
Most crops in the Lafayette area are still dormant. Strawberries and brambles are just starting to grow. It looks like we lost all our peach flower buds. Grapes also were damaged badly by the Jan 30-31 low temperatures in our area. We have several varieties with less than 50% primary bud survival so we are…Read more about Crop Conditions[Read More]
As harvest continues, so does the summer rot saga, especially bitter rot. Multiple orchards are reporting significant to complete loss of Honeycrisp throughout the Midwest, in addition to other varieties. Honeycrisp is by far the worst hit, but its seems that Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Cameo, Ida Red, Empire, Fuji and Gala have had problems…Read more about Harvest Continues[Read More]
Grape harvest is underway for early and mid-season varieties. Downy and powdery mildew are showing up in vineyards. Table grapes have been especially nice this year. Primocane bramble harvest is also underway. Surprising low number of spotted wing Drosophila have been found in grapes or brambles. Frequent rains are very unwelcome as they generally have…Read more about Crop Conditions[Read More]
Susan Brown of Cornell probably said it best: “The performance and attributes of Honeycrisp are varied and can be grouped under the heading, ‘The good, the bad, and the ugly.’ The ‘good’ refers to a great name for marketing and excellent texture, crispness, and juiciness. The ‘bad’ refers to coloring problems, appearance defects, and susceptibility…Read more about Yellows and Bitter Pit[Read More]
Grape harvest is just about to get started in the southern part of the state. Growers will start harvesting early varieties next week. Most varieties are slightly ahead of normal this year. In Lafayette, early varieties are at full veraison and should be ready to harvest in the next couple of weeks. We generally harvest…Read more about Grape Harvest – 2018[Read More]
June bearing strawberries are “short day” plants that initiate flower buds in response to short days (less than 14 hours day length). Day length for Indianapolis drops below 14 hours about August 10. As we get into late summer, strawberry plants respond to shorter days by setting the flower buds that will result in the…Read more about Strawberry Fruit Bud Development[Read More]
Strawberries are primarily grown in the matted row system in Indiana, in which bare-root strawberry plants are set in the spring, fruit is first harvested in the second year and plantings are renovated each year for a few seasons. Growers in Southern Indiana have expressed interest in growing strawberries in the annual plasticultural system. With…Read more about Annual Strawberry Production in Southern Indiana[Read More]
Stone Fruit: At our orchard, we lost our stone fruit with the -20 degree F temperatures this winter. For those of you fortunate enough to have fruit, frequent and heavy rain present problems multiple problems, namely bacterial spot and brown rot. Three weeks before harvest, cease bacterial spot sprays, even though bacterial spot may continue…Read more about Almost August Tree Fruit Update[Read More]
Although PristineTM was selected in 1982, its history goes back to the early days of the PRI breeding program. From an original cross of Rome Beauty with Malus floribunda 821, selections and hybridizations were made incorporating Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Starking Delicious and Cazumat along the way. The cross that resulted in PristineTM was Coop 10…Read more about PristineTM Apple[Read More]