Organic Corner By Ayanava Majumdar, Dani Carroll and Olivia Fuller As the summer temperatures soar, insect activity in vegetable crops rises dramatically with several overlapping generations of pests feeding on crops. During this time, need-based insecticide applications may be necessary when other pest management measures like trap crops and exclusion systems are exhausted or unfeasible. Tremendous strides have been made …
UGA Trials: Organic Agriculture Research Gaining Traction in Georgia
University of Georgia Insect Ecology Professor Carmen Blubaugh is researching methods to help organic farmers in the Southeast, according to the University of Georgia Integrated Pest Management Blog. Farmers in the Southeast contend with year-round insect, weed and disease pressure, due to its hot, humid climate. Those challenges are amplified for organic producers, since chemical inputs are limited. Blubaugh and …
Organic Herbicide Options
By Ruby Tiwari and Ramdas Kanissery Organic growers in Florida fight weeds throughout the year, as it is one of their significant challenges in production (Figure 1). Organic producers typically use various mechanical and cultural methods like tillage, cultivation, hand-weeding, mulching, etc., to keep weeds in check on their farms. While there is a general conception that there is no …
Combine Natural Enemies With Pest Exclusion Systems
By Ayanava Majumdar, Chip East and Eric Schavey Organic farming in the South is challenged with year-round pest pressure from established or invasive insects. A flash drought can rapidly increase pest numbers and devastate crops. Two ways to reduce insect pests on vegetable crops, pest exclusion systems and conservation of natural enemies, have been discussed in recent VCSNews articles. This …
Secrets to online sales success
By Tiffany Bailey and Ida Vandamme There is no denying that the demand for organic food is on the rise. Fueled by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, consumers are showing a rapidly increasing willingness to purchase food online. There is also a recent trend in consumers seeking local and healthy food options. All these factors create a time when …
Shade Nets Show Benefits for Peppers
By Juan Carlos Díaz Pérez Vegetable growers know well about the importance of light to plants. Light is necessary for the process of photosynthesis through which plants convert light energy into chemical energy (sugars) needed for plant growth and development. LIGHT AND HEAT Light is electromagnetic radiation that comes from the sun. The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that can …
Regenerative Agriculture on the Rise
By Sarah Bostick Regenerative agriculture is fast becoming a buzz phrase in America. You may have heard about it on the news, in feature films or in farmer forums online. You may have seen the words “regeneratively grown” on a box of mac and cheese, a tub of yogurt, a container of oatmeal or even a case of beer. …
Choosing Cover Crops for Nematode Management
By Johan Desaeger Cover crops are one of the more practical options for nematode management as their use is already common practice for many growers. The subtropical climate in Florida and the southeastern United States allows growers to plant crops year-round, and cover crops have been an important component of Florida’s agro-ecosystems since its early days of agriculture. Until the …
Seed Selection Considerations
By Tiffany Bailey and Ida Vandamme Choosing vegetable varieties is probably the most important decision a grower can make and can be the difference between a crop failure or success. On our farm, we consider seed selection one of the most powerful and efficient tools as part of the cultural controls in an integrated pest management program. It takes no …
UGA Researching Organic Onion Fertilizers
Organic onion production in Georgia is nothing new. But the data is lacking for farmers who are trying to expand and be more efficient in their operations. That is why Tim Coolong, associate professor in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is studying organic onion production. “Onions have been grown conventionally for decades. That system, I feel like …