Apples fruits, where you can find them are about 1.5 inches in diameter. We have a very light to no crop on varieties in Lafayette. Grapes are past shatter for the most part, but there is a lot of late blooms on shoots from latent buds. The Minnesota varieties have a good crop as do…Read more about Crop Conditions[Read More]
Indiana has been very dry the last several weeks (Figure 1) and conditions are starting to show in lawns and fields. This dryness has been exacerbated by low humidity and warmer temperatures (Figure 2). After a nice respite this past weekend, temperatures will start rising again into the weekend, but may not seem too uncomfortable…Read more about Warm, Dry Weather Causing Abnormally Dry Conditions Across Indiana Beth Hall Indiana State Climate Office[Read More]
Our colleagues at Michigan State posted an excellent article on twig and blossom blights in blueberries. Follow the link to read the article: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/twig-and-blossom-blights-in-michigan-blueberries Timothy Miles, Mark Longstroth, Michael Reinke and Laura Miles, Michigan State University Extension
Canopy management is a critical production practice for improved sunlight exposure. Pulling shoots off the top of the rows in high cordon-trained vines improves sunlight exposure to the leaves at the base of the shoots. Those basal nodes will be the ones saved as spurs next year during pruning, and sunlight improves bud fruitfulness and…Read more about Canopy management in grapes[Read More]
The North American Raspberry & Blackberry Association (NARBA) is conducting a survey of growers’ raspberry & blackberry pricing and what they are doing for COVID-19 in relation to their marketing this year. NARBA urges producers of all sizes and in all regions to participate, whether or not they have started harvesting. Growers who have not…Read more about Raspberry and Blackberry Pricing Survey[Read More]
Strawberries have rich flavor; sugar, acid, phenolic content, and aroma all together make the wonderful fruit. Many factors are assumed to affect strawberry flavor. Some are supported by scientific evidence, some may be simply people’s impressions. In this article, we discuss some of the factors that are more likely to affect strawberry flavor. Locally grown…Read more about What Factors Affect Strawberry Flavor?[Read More]
Dicamba has been in the headlines the last two weeks. In case you’ve missed it, here are the highlights: On June 3 the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled against the Environmental Protection Agency and its 2018 registration of over-the-top dicamba products Xtend, Engenia, and FeXapan and vacated their registrations. The…Read more about Dicamba Herbicide Updates and New Resources Stephen L. Meyers and Bill Johnson[Read More]
Warm, wet weather has led to an uptick in bacterial shot hole disease, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (XAP). We started to see a significant uptick in shot hole on peaches, nectarine and plum before conditions turned dry. Leaves and fruit susceptibility to XAP infection decreases after pit hardening (if you were…Read more about XAPped again![Read More]
Aphids have been a particularly challenging pest to get under control in our high tunnel strawberries this year. They quickly colonized the strawberries we had growing all winter and took off as the weather warmed (Fig. 1). In my first attempt to knock them back I introduced 2,000 lacewing larvae (22-Apr), too little too late….Read more about Organic Aphid Control Update[Read More]
Due to the COVID crisis, all Purdue Extension meetings have been cancelled through June. After July 1, in-person meetings may be held and will follow state and local guidelines. Most Purdue Extension staff are working from home and we are available to answer your questions by email, phone or through social media. Our contact information…Read more about Extension Events[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.