By Clint Thompson It is amazing how the absence of a late-season freeze event will impact strawberry plants in Alabama. For producer Taylor Hatchett, it meant all the difference in this year’s crop. “It’s a thousand times better than last year. It was very unusual in that, normally you start small with your harvests, then get up to your maximum …
Tarnished Plant Bug’s Impact in Alabama Strawberries
By Clint Thompson Tarnished plant bugs have impacted Alabama’s strawberry crop this season. Growers’ success in managing the pest in the future will depend on scouting, says David Lawrence, regional Extension agent in central Alabama. “Especially the growers that have seen them this year, they need to mark that date on their calendars of when they saw it, and the …
Citrus Expansion in Southwest Alabama
By Clint Thompson One Alabama Extension agent is optimistic about his region’s citrus production expanding in the near future. Jacob Kelley, regional Extension agent in Southwest Alabama, discussed the future of citrus in his coverage area, which consists mostly of satsuma mandarins. “At times it seems like (acres are) going down, but I will tell you I’ve had a lot …
Rain, Rain, Rain: Wet Weather Impacting Central Alabama Strawberries, Peaches
Central Alabama peach and strawberry producers have been challenged with rain events that are impacting this year’s crops. Disease pressure has been widespread in both crops, according to David Lawrence, regional Extension agent in central Alabama. “We’ve seen a lot of disease this year. The diseases that we normally see more in the mid-summer, we’re seeing those this time of …
Challenging Weather Impacting Alabama Watermelon Producers
By Clint Thompson Alabama’s watermelon crop is on pace for a normal, average year, according to one producer. Jeremy Sessions, who farms 50 acres in Grand Bay, Alabama, said he should be ready to harvest by June 10. This comes despite challenging weather conditions throughout the growing season. “Everything looks pretty good. Early, we had some tough growing conditions. They …
Alabama Heirs Property Alliance Helping Educate Residents, Farming Families About Key Issue
(AUBURN UNIVERSITY, AL/May 8, 2024) — Heirs property is common in Alabama. There is land in every county that is classified as heirs property, also known as family land. Whether families are attempting to develop or sell the land left by previous generations, the lack of a clear title makes it difficult for families to move forward. Adam Rabinowitz, an …
Alabama Producer Discusses ‘Full Peach Crop’
By Clint Thompson What a difference a year makes for Alabama peach producer Jackson Reeves. Last year’s crop was decimated by two spring freeze events. “Last year we didn’t have our early peaches and we didn’t have our late peaches. We still had some of our peaches right in the middle of July, but we didn’t have a full crop,” …
Alabama Blueberry Farmer Discusses Current Crop, Spring Freeze Events
By Clint Thompson Two straight seasons of spring freeze events has one Alabama blueberry farmer ready to modify how he manages his blueberry crop. Jimmy Ferguson said this year’s late-season freeze impacted between 30% and 40% of his rabbiteye crop and about 20% of his highbush. That followed the freeze in 2023 that completely wiped out his 25-acre farm. “We’ve …
Strong Peach Season Expected for Alabama Growers
By Clint Thompson Count Alabama as another state that should rebound with a bumper peach crop this year. After a Georgia industry leader confirmed his expectation of a bountiful crop to AgNet Media, Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University, expressed optimism regarding this year’s peaches in Alabama. “We’re seeing pretty …
Alabama Strawberry Disease Update
By Clint Thompson Alabama’s strawberry crop has progressed this year with minimal disease impact. Yes, diseases have been present in some fields, but their severity has been lessened this year. Ed Sikora, professor and Extension plant pathologist in the department of entomology and plant pathology at Auburn University, believes the lack of consistent rains have made certain diseases less impactful …



















