By Clint Thompson The Auburn University College of Agriculture is using vertical farming to provide certain produce for its students year-round. Auburn students are helping to grow food for Auburn students. This unique way of farming doesn’t involve a field or a greenhouse but a shipping container. The same container used on tractor-trailer trucks uses LED lights to provide the …
Farming Basics App Provides Answers to Key Issues
A successful farming career means answering a multitude of questions in a timely and efficient manner. What pest is this? How can I treat this disease? What if there was a way for Alabama producers to click their way to answers without having to leave their fields? The Farming Basics app from Alabama Extension offers growers that connection for quick …
Insect Pressure Increasing Across Alabama
Insect pest pressure is up across Alabama, according to the latest Alabama Insect Pest Monitoring Update on June 19. The latest numbers show that fall armyworms, southern armyworms, corn earworms and squash vine borers are up compared to this time last year. In 19 locations across Alabama, here are the moth numbers compared to last year: Species 2021 moth …
Sweet Corn Alert: Alabama Growers Be Wary of Pests
By Clint Thompson Katelyn Kesheimer’s message to Alabama’s sweet corn producers is simple: “At this point, if your plants are thinking about silking, be prepared to spray.” The Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist advises producers to be mindful of corn earworms and fall armyworms. Both need to be taken care of before infestations get out of control. “Corn …
U.S. Drought Monitor Update: Florida’s Dry Conditions Diminishing
According to the Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, dry conditions are slowly diminishing in Florida, especially in the southern part of the state. While most counties, including Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Hendry, Collier and Glades are still abnormally dry, none are in a moderate drought. Other counties that are partially abnormally dry include Polk, Hardee, Manatee and Sarasota in …
Irrigation Management Essential in Pecan Production
By Clint Thompson Many elements factor into a successful pecan production season. What were the weather conditions like? Was scab disease a problem? One of the most important factors is irrigation and keeping the trees watered especially during prolonged dry periods and nearing harvest. University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells stressed the importance of keeping trees irrigated during …
Grower Awareness: Hemp Producers be Mindful of Disease Development
By Clint Thompson Alabama’s hemp season is still in its early stage, but crop disease is quickly becoming a concern for the state’s producers. Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, said weather conditions have been ripe for disease development. “We hadn’t had rain in maybe about a week, then in some spots we got six inches in …
Pecan Cultivars: Scab, Crop Load Main Factors in Farmers’ Selections
By Clint Thompson The first rule in cultivar selection for pecan growers is there is no perfect cultivar. What may work for one producer may not for another, believes University of Georgia (UGA) pecan breeder Patrick Conner. “The difficulty is we don’t have one way of growing pecans. We have small growers, medium-sized growers; growers with hundreds of acres. We …
Wet Summer? July Through September Could Receive More Rain Than Normal
According to the University of Georgia Extension Climate and Agriculture Blog and National Weather Service, July through September is expected to better wetter than normal due to the active tropical season. It has already been a wet June for parts of Georgia. According to the University of Georgia Weather Network, Tifton, Georgia received 4.88 inches from June 1 to June …
Japanese Beetles: Insects a Concern for Grape Producers
Grape producers in Georgia and Alabama need to be on alert: Japanese beetles are starting to show up in vineyards. According to the University of Georgia Extension Viticulture Blog, if there is a severe infestation, the Japanese beetles can be severe pests of grapes this summer, feeding mostly on the foliage. What’s of most concern is their impact on young …