There are some potential pest and disease problems that require early season sprays. Phomopsis is a major problem on many grape varieties in the Midwest. Mancozeb should be applied starting at 1-3 inch shoots and repeated each 7-10 days, especially prior to a predicted rain event. Colleagues in Michigan and Ohio have been conducting evaluations…Read more about Early season sprays for grapes[Read More]
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What is the best way to assess bud damage from cold temperatures? Drs. Tara Baugher and Jim Schupp at Penn. State University have put together a nice page with some excellent photos explaining how to assess fruit bud survival: http://extension.psu.edu/plants/tree-fruit/news/2016/assessing-fruit-bud-survival-and-crop-potential I would add that unless you find that more than 90% of your buds have…Read more about Assessing Fruit Bud Survival and Crop Potential[Read More]
Frost and freeze damage was minor in small fruits and grapes. Below is a review of general guidelines for when we expect damage to buds, flowers and fruit. Developmental stage 10% kill (°F) 90% kill (°F) Apples Silver tip 15 2 Green tip 18 10 Half-inch green 23 15 Tight cluster 27 21 Pink 28…Read more about Frost and Freeze Damage Update[Read More]
In southern areas, apples are in pink, but still at tight cluster in more northern areas. Peaches are still in the shuck in the south but only at half-inch green in the northern parts of the state. Grapes are at bud break to one inch shoots in the south, but still in the early to…Read more about Crop Conditions[Read More]
Early spring is a good time to make the first herbicide application of the year. There are several options for grapes, brambles and blueberries including both pre and post-emergent herbicides. In most situations, there will be some emerged weeds present in the planting at this time of the year. That means a post-emergent herbicide will…Read more about Spring Weed Management in Grapes and Berries[Read More]
The proper time to remove straw from matted row strawberries is when the bare-soil temperature at 4 inches averages about 40-43˚F. This usually coincides with mid to late March in central Indiana. This year is earlier than average with temperatures well into the 50s already by March 15. Plants will begin pushing new leaves as…Read more about Straw Removal on Strawberries[Read More]
Spring freeze damage can be a significant economic problem for Midwest grape growers. Widespread damage occurred in 2007 and 2012 when warm temperatures in March were followed by freezing temperatures in April. Obviously this year we have had a warm February and March so it is very possible that we will have early bud break…Read more about Double Pruning to Avoid Spring Freeze Injury in Grapes[Read More]
Last August, we set up a high tunnel strawberry variety trial at Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center. There are 10 strawberry varieties including 3 dayneutral varieties and 7 June-bearings. Thanks to the nice fall weather, we did have a fall/winter harvest on dayneutral (Albion, Sweet Ann and San Andrea) and two early June-bearing varieties (Sweet Charlie…Read more about Trial Update: High Tunnel Strawberry Variety Evaluation[Read More]
A black swan refers to an event that defies expectation and that would be extremely difficult to predict. This spring is one of those. And although it seems unlikely that we will emerge from our last frost-free date (May 15 here in Tippecanoe County) unscathed, it could happen and then you could end up with…Read more about Lambs, Lions and Black Swans[Read More]
Peaches are in bloom in southern areas of the state but just showing a little green in more northern areas. Apples range from green tip in the north to tight cluster in southern areas of the state. Another Early Spring Spring is off to an early start around the state again. For many growers this…Read more about Crop conditions[Read More]
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