Fruit growers, we would like to hear your story about the freeze event on Apr. 20 and 21. What crops are you growing? Did you take protective actions? Did it cause damage to the crops? Hearing your stories would help us better design our extension programs. If you allow, we would like to share your[Read More…]
After what can only be described as a very early spring, we are entering the unusual situation of worrying about fire blight in April. Summer-like weather, rainfall, thunderstorms and hail mean that growers should be very concerned about fire blight. It is important to note that the fire blight pathogen, Erwinia amylovora, is always present[Read More…]
April Showers or Lingering Drought? Beth Hall, Indiana State Climatologist March wrapped up as one of Indiana’s wettest (44th wettest out of 126 years) and warmest (16th warmest). It was marked by unusually warm days and then cool days. Was it ever just average? Certainly, most days fell within the climatological range of temperatures. Precipitation[Read More…]
Spring temperatures and the season so far It seems like it’s been warm and that we’re way ahead of normal. But the data paint a slightly different picture. First, let’s not talk too much about “normal”. In the last 10 years or so that I’ve been plotting these data, EVERY year has been warmer than[Read More…]
On behalf of the Purdue University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, we invite qualified candidates to apply for the Extension Organic Agriculture Specialist, full-time staff position based at the Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN campus. The primary purpose of this position is to help coordinate Purdue University’s Extension efforts through the diversification of Indiana[Read More…]
Last week when the heavy frost hit us, air temperature at Southwest Purdue Ag Center (SWPAC) in Vincennes, IN dropped to 24°F. We did not take action for frost protection on the strawberries growing with the annual plasticulture system, considering only two early cultivars start to bloom at that time. However, this appears to be[Read More…]
A natural wonder will occur in 15 states this year: the emergence of the Brood X, 17-year periodical cicadas! Also known as “17-year or 13-year locusts” the last mass emergence of these insects occurred in 2004. Now, 17 years later, the immature cicadas will emerge from the ground, molt one last time to gain wings,[Read More…]
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