By Natalia A. Peres Pestalotiopsis is not necessarily new to strawberry. A strawberry fruit rot caused by Pestalotia longisetula (or Pestalotiopsis) was reported for the first timein Florida in 1972. However, the fungus has always been considered a secondary pathogen. But this was not the case during the past two strawberry seasons (2018–19 and 2019–20), when severe outbreaks were reported …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provided updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Weekly Field Update-10/26/20 Statewide Dr. Matt Cutulle reports, “A good stand of fall cover crops will typically suppress most weeds. However, you may want to pursue herbicide options for cleaning up the weeds that have pushed through …
Alabama Extension Agent: Plant Now to Get Head Start on Spring
Alabama farmers interested in producing blueberries or any other containerized plant are encouraged to plant now, says Gary Gray. The Alabama Regional Extension Agent emphasizes the importance of keeping them watered, however. “I do prefer now. If you’ve got containerized plants, plant them now and they’ll have a head start on spring. They’ll be ahead of the game, as opposed …
Abnormally Wet Fall Challenging for Alabama Pumpkin Producers
An abnormally wet September has required Alabama pumpkin farmers to maintain strict fungicide applications, especially following Hurricane Sally’s trek through the state on Sept. 16. Neil Kelly, Alabama Extension Regional agent in Southeast Alabama, said the lack of consistent sunshine over the last two weeks has created disease concerns for pumpkin growers. “We haven’t really had a real good break …
Shallow Subsurface Drip Irrigation for Organic Growers
By Tim Coolong Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) has been around for many years in a variety of different iterations. Most typically, SDI refers to a permanent drip system installed fairly deep (18 inches) and is used for irrigating agronomic crops such as corn or cotton. In many cases, vegetable crops are too shallowly rooted for a traditional SDI system, but …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provided updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Zack Snipes reports, “We had between 4-6 inches of rain last week with daily thunderstorms. Growers are working the fields, getting ready for the fall crops to go in. If it happens to rain on Wednesday …
Fall Vegetable Crops Susceptible to Whiteflies
Unless more rain in the upcoming weeks can knock back populations, whiteflies are a huge concern for fall vegetable growers, according to Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension vegetable entomologist. “Right now, it’s looking pretty bad. It could be devastating. The populations are really high, and we’re just now getting started,” Sparks said. “I’ve got squash where the adult …
Flavorful Fruit Yields Sweet Results for Melon Farmers
Southeast watermelon growers delivered a flavorful crop this year that yielded a sweet price at the market, said Mark Arney, executive director of the National Watermelon Promotion Board. “We’re happy, we’re happy for the guys. Obviously, the guys that didn’t have a crop, it doesn’t matter how hot the market is, they’re not going to make money. We feel terrible …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provided updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Statewide Dr. Matt Cutulle reports, “Hurricanes or tropical storms can lead to increased seed dispersal from seeds that can be transported by wind and water. Two notorious weeds that come to mind when planning for hurricanes are …
Alabama Hemp Producers Need to Protect Against Caterpillar Damage
Alabama hemp is at a stage in the growing season when it is vulnerable to caterpillar damage, says Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist. She said a lot of the hemp in the state is starting to flower, which is when it is most susceptible. “We’re gearing up for corn earworm for caterpillars. A lot of the …