At the Meigs Horticultural facility, we have been busy completing cover sprays and with crop maintenance. The total rainfall at Meigs this June has totaled a half inch. We need rain to help with fruit development. As a result of very little rainfall, we’ve had very little disease pressure. The last harvest of our Strawberries…Read more about Crop Conditions[Read More]
Below-normal temperatures continued through the first 21 days of June as the state average temperature was 68.3°F, which was 1.8°F below the 1991-2020 climatological normal. Temperature departures were 1-5°F below normal across the state, with larger departures in eastern and southern Indiana (Figure 1, Left). Maximum temperatures were near normal for the entire state, and…Read more about Drought Expands and Expected to Continue[Read More]
Shoot Thinning The optimum shoot density is 5-6 shoots per foot of row. Thinning to this density can help reduce shading, adjust the crop, lower the risk of disease and improve spray penetration. The optimal time for shoot thinning is before the shoots reach 12 inches. Much of the state is past this point, so…Read more about Grapevine Canopy Management[Read More]
When Neil Young was singing about “Rust Never Sleeps,” I doubt he meant orange rust, caused by the fungus Gymnoconia nitens (formerly Arthuriomyces peckianus). But who knows? Maybe he did? And he’d be right: This rust is definitely not sleeping! Despite unusually dry conditions throughout much of the state, orange rust is still making its presence known…Read more about Orange Rust[Read More]
As strawberry harvest winds down, attention turns to strawberry renovation. Renovation consists of mowing existing strawberry foliage (Figure 1) and, in matted row systems, cultivating to reduce row width. When combined with strategic herbicide applications, this can be a great time in the production cycle to catch up on weed management or maintain your level…Read more about Weed Management at Strawberry Renovation[Read More]
The harvest season may not have ended yet; it is time to plan for the new planting. This article summarizes options for planting materials and considerations for plasticulture-grown strawberries in the region. Purchasing plug plants Plug plants are like vegetable transplants with actively growing root systems. Plug plants are much easier to establish than bare-root…Read more about Plug? Bare-root? What Other Options for Plasticulture Strawberry Planting? [Read More]
Strawberries are traditionally grown with a matted-row system in Indiana. Plasticulture is relatively new. It brings market opportunities and potentially high income. However, growing strawberries in plasticulture is much more expensive than the matted-row system. Farmers need a good understanding of the system to avoid significant economic loss. In the Strawberry Chat Podcast episodes, you…Read more about Farmers Shared Experiences in Plasticulture Strawberry Production[Read More]
There are so many different kinds of insects, but we often focus on the ones that cause damage (for obvious reasons). However, there are many beneficial, predatory insects you can be on the lookout for in your fruit plantings! These insects can be seen throughout the season, attacking aphids, mealybugs, caterpillars, mites, and even scale…Read more about Do you know your beneficial insects in fruit plantings?[Read More]
REGISTER HERE Purdue Fruit & Vegetable Field Day 2023 Thursday, July 20, 2023 Purdue Meigs Ag Center 9101 S. 100 E, Lafayette, IN 47909 Coordinator: Petrus Langenhoven Extension Staff: Lori Jolly-Brown, Jay Young, Chloe Richard, and Paul Howard FIELD DEMONSTRATIONS Sweet Corn Pest Management Updates Silage Tarps for Weed Management in Potatoess …Read more about Purdue Fruit & Vegetable Field Day 2023[Read More]
REGISTER HERE 2023 FIELD DAY SCHEDULE Thursday, July 27, 2023 Registration 8:00 – 9:00 am EST Demonstrations at 9:00 am – 12:00 pm EST Coordinator: Petrus Langenhoven Extension Staff: Lori Jolly-Brown, Lais McCartney, and Patrick Williams Please join us for the 2023 Small Farm Education Field Day! The EMT food truck will be on site…Read more about Purdue Small Farm Education field day 2023[Read More]
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