Look Before Planting: Inspect Strawberry Plants for Disease Symptoms

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Strawberry producers are less than three months away before they start planting next year’s crop in Georgia. Their first order of business is ensuring the plants are clean before they are put in the ground. Producers want to avoid a Neopestalotiopsis (Neo) outbreak, and a careful inspection will help make that happen. Jeff Cook, University of Georgia …

Risk Analysis May Be Needed for Grafted Watermelon Plants Against Fusarium Wilt

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Fusarium wilt disease in watermelon fields causes Southeast growers to consider alternative management tactics to overcome this yearly challenge. Grafted plants is one of those options, though, it is not intended for all producers, explains University of Georgia Extension Vegetable Disease Specialist Bhabesh Dutta. “This is not for everybody, and this is not for every situation,” Dutta …

Simple Economics: Grafted Watermelon Plants’ Growth in North Florida Likely Minimal

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson The emergence of fusarium wilt disease in North Florida watermelons this year is a reminder about how effective grafted plants are in overcoming the disease. Unfortunately, their growth in the Suwanee Valley region may be limited by simple economics, explains Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in …

Later Maturity a Product of Grafted Watermelon Plants

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Southeast watermelon producers who are pondering the use of grafted plants to combat fusarium wilt disease must remember that grafted plants have later maturity than regular plants. That’s a message that a panel, including Josh Freeman, regional sales manager with TriEst Ag Group, shared at the recent Suwanee Valley Watermelon Institute in Fanning Springs, Florida. “Nobody knows …

Grafted Watermelon Plants a Costly Solution Against Fusarium Wilt

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Grafted plants provide watermelon growers a costly solution in their fight against fusarium wilt. Josh Freeman, regional sales manager with TriEst Ag Group, estimates the added costs to double what a normal watermelon plant would be. While the added expense is not ideal, it provides farmers a guaranteed solution in their fight against the annual plant disease. …

Grafted Watermelon Plants Costly But Effective Against Fusarium Wilt Disease

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Watermelon

By Clint Thompson Grafted watermelon plants remain a significant defense against fusarium wilt disease. They are just costly and cause a delay in harvests, says Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. “It does appear that properly managed grafted watermelons can be very helpful in managing fusarium …

Artichokes Make for Pretty Plants

Clint ThompsonArtichoke, Florida

Did you know you can plant artichokes in your garden or landscape as well as eat them? The artichokes you eat are, in fact, immature flower buds. “Many home gardeners love artichokes, mostly as edibles,” said Shinsuke Agehara, a University of Florida (UF) associate professor of horticultural sciences who harvests the vegetable from January through March at the UF Institute of …

Vidalia Onion Plants Progressing Following Recent Cold Snap

Clint ThompsonGeorgia, Vidalia Onions

By Clint Thompson Georgia’s Vidalia onion crop is progressing this season despite a potentially devastating cold snap in late January. Cliff Riner, chairman of the Vidalia Onion Committee, said multiple days of sub-freezing temperatures stalled the plants but failed to have a catastrophic impact. “We’re doing okay. We’ve had weather, but we’ve come through the weather surprisingly well,” Riner said. …

UF/IFAS Plants Grown in Space Flown Home

Clint ThompsonFlorida

ET may have phoned home, but plants from a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) experiment were recently flown home from the International Space Station (ISS). Plants, specifically Arabidopsis thaliana, grown from seeds by astronauts in the ISS were harvested, launched on a return capsule that touched down to Earth and shipped to eager researchers at …

Clemson Extension Agents: Inspect Strawberry Plants

Web AdminSouth Carolina

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 Midlands Rob Last Sarah Scott Phillip Carnley Sponsored ContentNew Syngenta Varieties Offer Grower SolutionsFebruary 1, 2026Attribute® II Technology Adds More Flexibility and Strength to Sweet Corn Pest ManagementJanuary 1, 2026Nuseed …