Weekly Field Update
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state.
Coastal Region
Zack Snipes
- Another hot week in the Lowcountry. We have gotten a good bit of rain in some spots, and other spots have missed the rain altogether.
- The hot and dry weather has caused a flareup of spider mites in perennial crops like blackberry. Be on the lookout for spider mites in blackberry, and be proactive in spraying and managing orange cane blotch. The pathogen is rather unusual, being a parasitic alga species (Cephaleuros virescens). This is the most damaging and widespread blackberry issue in my region. Potassium phosphite sprays will help control this pest.
- Now is a great time to lime fields, plant cover crops, restock pesticide supplies, calibrate sprayers/spreaders and take care of other maintenance issues.
Midlands
Phillip Carnley
- Orangeburg and Calhoun have been exceptionally wet. Cucumbers are showing signs of root rot and pythium from too much moisture in fields. Symptoms range from wilt to outright death.
- Tomatoes are at their end with decent quality for this late in the season.
- Watermelons are still being picked with great quality and quantity. We are seeing some split from the rain, and abrasion from wind and sand has been the biggest quality problem for my area.
- Okra has been hit or miss, even with the hotter weather. If you are seeing few blooms on your okra, it would be worth looking at ratooning to boost production. Caterpillars and stinkbugs are causing the biggest issues at the moment.
Sarah Scott
- The area was under a dry spell up until the rain and storms that occurred over the weekend. Some areas of Aiken and Edgefield Counties received two-plus inches, helping greatly with soil moisture.
- We are picking our final varieties of peaches over the next week or so. Varieties are coming in about 10 days ahead of schedule. Fresh markets and retail sales will likely drop off after this week. Growers are focusing on upcoming trunk sprays and orchard floor management. Late summer pruning is also happening. Remember to keep cut size minimal during this pruning, no larger than a quarter.
- Fall vegetables are going into the ground, while the first crop of tomatoes, squash and zucchini are wrapping up.
Upstate
Andy Rollins
- Large acreage of pumpkins is dying from phytophthora crown rot. I recommended using Orondis Ultra which is listed in the Vegetable handbook but not the efficacy table. As it is the newest registered product, it should be the most helpful. Unusually, this farm has been in drought, not excessive rain, as you would suspect.
- A tomato farm is losing a large quantity of fruit to an unknown bacterial source. Samples will hopefully identify the culprit and help us manage this problem.
- Muscadines are still a ways off, but I am seeing color on RhazzMatazz and other hybrid grapes.
- Peaches are still being harvested but light.