We have experienced several cool days over the past two weeks. One watermelon trial at Southwest Purdue Ag Center was planted on May 4, and during the two days following transplanting, recorded air temperatures dropped below 50°F. We evaluated plant survival 9 days after transplanting. In this trial, we had grafted and non-grafted seedless watermelons,…Read more about Watermelon Plant Survival[Read More]
Found 876 Articles
The first week of May certainly didn’t feel like May as temperatures ended up 5-10°F below normal across the state (Figure 1). Daytime maximum temperatures struggled to reach 60°F across the northern half of the state, while southern areas only saw low 60s for much of the week. Using Indianapolis as a reference point given…Read more about May’s cold start and a pattern change[Read More]
The grape vines have started to recover from the frost we had in April; shoots have started growing again. In the past two weeks, our monitoring traps in the orchard have caught 4 dogwood borer (Synanthedon scitula) individuals, 20 coddling moth (Cydia pomonella) individuals, and 0 oriental fruit moth (Grapholita molesta) individuals. A thinning spray…Read more about Crop conditions[Read More]
The tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris, or TPB can create some serious problems for strawberry growers this time of year, as their damage leads to misshapen fruit. This pest is a True Bug, meaning it feeds using piercing-sucking mouthparts and develops through incomplete metamorphosis; eggs hatch into nymphs that look like adults but increase in…Read more about Tarnished plant bugs in strawberry[Read More]
Strawberry harvest has begun in southern Indiana, with growers reporting that the season started at least a week earlier than usual. We experienced a frost event in mid-March, along with a few light, scattered frosts afterward. Fortunately, with the use of row covers, crop damage has been minimal across the region. Overall, the spring was…Read more about Plasticulture Strawberry Update in Southern Indiana[Read More]
Hello. Some of our more sensitive fruit crops have suffered from recent freezing temperatures. Fruit set is almost non-existent on plums and peaches. Our first grape shoots have around 20% survival. The apples and pears seem to be fine. The consequences of an early start to the season are apparent here at Meigs. In other…Read more about Crop conditions[Read More]
Indiana saw a lot of precipitation the early part of this past week with rainfall totals ranging from 0.5” or greater in the northern and far southwestern counties to over 5” in south-central Indiana. In fact, an observer just south of Bedford, IN reported a combined total of 5.80”! Figure 1 shows the 2-day total…Read more about An impressive amount of rain[Read More]
The 2026-2027 Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide is now available! This guide provides conventional pest management recommendations for commercial tree fruit, small fruit, and grape producers throughout the Midwest and surrounding states. These recommendations have been formulated to provide up-to-date information on pesticides and their application. It is available for free online and can be…Read more about 2026-2027 Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide Now Available[Read More]
Insect scientists rely on documented observations of certain insects at specific times and places to understand insect biodiversity and specific pest issues. Interestingly, our records of where insects occur in Indiana are thin, with many regions of the state with little to no data on the map (Fig. 1). Even areas that appear to be…Read more about We want to learn about insects in your yard![Read More]
Purdue University prohibits discrimination against any member of the University community on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or status as a veteran. This material may be available in alternative formats. 1-888-EXT-INFO Disclaimer: Reference to products in this publication is not intended to be an endorsement to the exclusion of others which may have similar uses. Any person using products listed in this publication assumes full responsibility for their use in accordance with current directions of the manufacturer.