Submit your content ideas for the 2026 Indiana Horticulture and Small Farm Conference. Do you want to hear from someone in particular or about a specific topic at this year’s newly combined conference? If so, please scan the QR code or follow the link below to submit your suggestions. The survey will be open until…Read more about We want your ideas! 2026 Indiana Horticulture and Small Farm Conference[Read More]
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I want to remind everyone that the summer meeting will be held Wednesday July 9 at Chandler’s Orchard and Country Market: https://www.chandlersorchard.com The orchard and market are located in Fillmore, IN, just a little west of Indianapolis All are welcome to join us for an orchard tour and discussion of all things fruit, from growing…Read more about Indiana Hort. Society summer meeting[Read More]
The window for chemical thinning is rapidly closing in many parts of the state. Carbaryl can be effective up to 20 mm fruit diameter. After this stage, options become limited and we’re in a “rescue thinning” approach. Below is some information from Penn State University on rescue thinning options: Rescue Thinning Options – 20mm and…Read more about Chemical thinning[Read More]
I’ve been plotting growing degree days for Lafayette for the last 15 years or so. This year we continue to track earlier than usual. This is a trend that seems to be continuing each year. See Figure 1. If you want to look at data more closely related to your location, the Indiana State Climate…Read more about Spring temperatures[Read More]
The most important time of the year for fruit disease control in grapes is from pre-bloom to 4-5 weeks past fruit set. The potential for fruit infection drops significantly 4-5 weeks post-bloom. Important diseases to control during this time include black rot, downy mildew and powdery mildew. Fruit of the most commonly planted varieties is…Read more about Critical Period for Disease Management in Grapes[Read More]
Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to visit a local grower who installed an insectary strip adjacent to their high tunnel last year. They will be hosting a field day in June, so I wanted to take a sneak peek and see how the plants (and insects) were doing. The plants are progressing well,…Read more about Introducing the Fourlined plant bug (Poecilocapus lineatus)[Read More]
From 2022-2024, we evaluated the performance 15 strawberry cultivars grown in plasticulture system using black and white-on-black plastic mulches (Figure 1) at two locations: Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center in Vincennes, IN (USDA hardiness zone 6b), and Meigs Purdue Agricultural Center in Lafayette, IN (USDA hardiness zone 6a). Strawberries were harvested for two seasons. Plug plants…Read more about Performance of Strawberries on Black vs. White Plastic Mulches in Indiana[Read More]
Mancozeb can still be used in grapes during the 2025 growing season. However, the EPA has proposed to cancel the use of mancozeb in grapes in the future. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) is conducting a re-registration review of many multi-site fungicides, including ziram, thiram, captan and now mancozeb. The proposed cancellation…Read more about Update on Mancozeb Use in Grapes[Read More]
The Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center (SWPAC) is one of the eight Purdue Agricultural Centers located across Indiana. What makes SWPAC unique is its location in the heart of Indiana’s watermelon-growing region—home to one of the state’s most significant specialty crop industries. In addition to watermelon and cantaloupe, southern Indiana is known for its diverse fruit…Read more about Southwest Purdue Agriculture Center Field Day Set for June 26[Read More]
Hi! This week’s crop conditions are looking quite good despite not having any significant rain recently. Most crops have set fruit and are progressing well. The grapes received their second spray this season on the 9th. This is a busy time here at Meigs as we make raised beds for our vegetable crops and prepare…Read more about Crop conditions[Read More]
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