The old adage says that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. The first few days of March started off quite normal and then quickly transitioned to lamb-like (not an official meteorological term) conditions. Then the roller coaster ride began with above-normal temperatures, followed by cooler, stormier conditions, followed by milder…Read more about Climate and Weather Lions, Lambs, and La Niñas[Read More]
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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 about The IR-4 Project and Indiana Growers[Read More]
Due to the COVID crisis, most Purdue Extension meetings will be held virtually. Most Purdue Extension staff are working from home and are available to answer your questions by email, phone or through social media. Our contact information is at the end of the newsletter. September 10-12, 2020 Purdue Extension Master Gardener State Conference Sponsored…Read more about Extension Events[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 about Coronavirus Food Assistance Program for Specialty Crops[Read More]
For those keeping track of my articles over the last few weeks, the outlooks of wetter and cooler than normal conditions have been the theme. The cooler temperatures never really came to fruition. In fact, most of Indiana was 1°F to 3°F above normal over the past two weeks (Figure 1)! Regarding the wetter-than-normal precipitation…Read more about Climate Update[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 about Crop Conditions[Read More]
Late season fruit rots: Sour rot complex, Botrytis and Ripe rot are major concerns in the Midwest. Though it’s been pretty dry across much of the state recently, some untimely rains can lead to disaster. Once berries split due to rain, yeasts and bacteria quickly invade damaged fruit, leading to rots that attract fruit flies….Read more about Late season disease management in grapes[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 about Rootstock problems are neither new nor unique…” Cummings and Norton, 1974[Read More]
After the last several weeks of predominantly dry conditions, the national climate outlooks are finally showing confidence that temperatures should start shifting to cooler than normal and precipitation will be wetter than normal (see figure). Hurricane Laura will definitely help the precipitation side of that prediction with current tracks having the strongest rainfall amounts in…Read more about Cooler, wetter conditions expected over next several weeks[Read More]
Grapes are being harvested across the state. Yields are pretty low for the early varieties that were hurt worst by the spring freezes. In Lafayette all our varieties are at veraison and harvest is nearing. Apples are sizing nicely where there is fruit. Some of Jules Janick’s selections have full crops, but many varieties have…Read more about Crop Conditions[Read More]
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