By Clint Thompson
Recent rain events in North Alabama have prompted specialty crop producers to increase their fungicide applications.
Eric Schavey, regional Extension agent in Northeast Alabama, said rainfall in the region has been sporadic in some areas and non-existent in others. But the increased moisture in certain areas has forced growers to apply fungicide sprays to control potential diseases.
“You travel two miles in either direction, and either they’ve got a lot of rain or no rain. Afternoon thunderstorms have been pushing a lot. We have had some adequate rain. We’re getting it like, two-tenths this afternoon and then it won’t rain until the next afternoon,” Schavey said. “Or you’ll get a little shower around midnight which is not really helping our vegetable production. We’re having to stay on those fungicide schedules. You spray one day and then go through two or three thunderstorms.”
The region is in the middle of vegetable production. Certain crops have been in production for weeks, while others have only just begun or are on the cusp of beginning.
“Our tomatoes have just started. We’ve had squash and sweet corn coming in for about two weeks. North Alabama watermelons are still a couple of weeks away, but for the most part, vegetables are in full swing,” Schavey said. “Okra is coming in, just because we were so late planting okra. Everything else is looking good.”