Alternaria disease is alive and well in Alabama vegetables and needs to be monitored, especially as temperatures remain unseasonably mild this winter. Joe Kemble, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist, said growers need to be vigilant in monitoring their crops. “Despite the temperature, disease is still an issue right now. Last week I saw some pretty impressive Alternaria on several brassicas,” Kemble …
Alabama Pecan Industry Forever Changed
Alabama pecan producers in Baldwin and Mobile Counties are still cleaning up debris left behind from Hurricane Sally more than three months ago. What many are not going to be doing, though, is replanting trees that were destroyed on Sept. 16, says Bryan Wilkins, Alabama Extension Research Associate. “The older guys, they told me they’re done. Some of them, they’re …
Ripple Effect: Hurricane’s Aftermath to be Felt for Years on Alabama Pecans
Two counties in Alabama known for pecan production had little to zero pecans harvested this year after being hit hard by Hurricane Sally. Unfortunately, it is likely to have a ripple effect on pecan production in Baldwin and Mobile Counties for years to come, says Bryan Wilkins, Alabama Extension Research Associate. Extension Testimonial “This was the biggest crop some of …
Alabama Christmas Tree Farmers to Experience Joyous Holiday Sales?
Alabama Christmas tree farms started with record-breaking sales during the Thanksgiving holidays, according to Jeremy Pickens, Alabama Assistant Extension Professor in Horticulture at Auburn University. While bad weather on Sunday reduced some foot traffic, Pickens expects sales to pick back up. “I think with the (coronavirus) pandemic, unfortunately, people are ready to get outside. What a great thing to go …
Alabama Extension Specialist Regarding Hemp: You Need a Plan From Day One
Alabama Extension’s message to potential hemp producers back in March was, “Know what you’re getting into.” Nothing has changed nine months and one harvest season later. Following the state’s second commercial production season, the take-home message remains the same for hemp growers already planning for next year’s crop. “It sounds like some people got burned. They planted a lot of …
Alabama Pecan Producer Following Hurricane Sally: That’s Just Life
Hurricane Sally’s impact on Alabama pecan producers is still being felt more than two months later. Unfortunately, it will last much longer as growers like Gary Underwood ponder the future of the industry in the state. Underwood, who is based between Mobile, Ala. and Pensacola, Fla., was hammered by the Category 2 storm on Sept. 16. He lost a substantial …
Poarch Band of Creek Indians Partner with Sweet Grown Alabama
MONTGOMERY, Ala.— Sweet Grown Alabama, the state’s agricultural branding program, is pleased to welcome the Poarch Band of Creek Indians as a founding member of the non-profit organization. “I am excited to announce our support of Sweet Grown Alabama,” said Stephanie A. Bryan, Tribal Chair and CEO. “We are always looking for ways to support Alabama’s economy and this important …
Alabama Extension Offers Planting Tips for Fruit Trees
Soon it will be time to plant fruit trees in Alabama. Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University, reminds growers about basic planting tips they need to be mindful of when planting trees this winter. Variety Selection Variety selection is the most important and practical way to manage diseases and other …
Plethora of Plant Diseases Following Rainy Season for Alabama Producers
A wet 2020 has had Alabama vegetable and specialty crop producers fending off plant diseases. Even before the state encountered a couple of hurricanes, including Sally in mid-September and Zeta in late October, it had already received its share of rainfall. Not surprisingly, the excess moisture led to numerous plant diseases, according to Ed Sikora, professor and Extension plant pathologist …
Alabama Pecan Producer Still Picking up Pieces Following Hurricane Sally
Hurricanes wreaked havoc on agricultural production this summer and fall. Unfortunately, pecan producers were not immune to nature’s fury. Just ask Alabama farmer Adam Bertolla. He lost ¾ of this year’s crop as a result of Hurricane Sally in mid-September. He also lost 250 trees or a third of his pecan operation. “It killed me, because I lost over a …