Georgia Peach Trees Enjoying High Chill Hours

Clint ThompsonGeorgia, Peaches

By Clint Thompson Georgia’s peach producers have overcome one of the first obstacles of the production season – accumulating enough chill hours. Now comes the next challenge – surviving a potential late-season frost event. Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Peach and Taylor counties, provided an update on chill hours which have been …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Tick Talk

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crop Grower Magazine

By Lauri M. Baker As temperatures cool over the winter, you may be ready to breathe a sigh of relief as you enjoy a break from the summer’s constant annoyance of pests like mosquitos and ticks. But think again. An age-old belief is that ticks die off in winter months. Unfortunately, this is a myth. While your chance of tick …

Rep. Austin Scott: Risk Mitigation Should Be Emphasized in Next Farm Bill

Clint ThompsonFarm Bill, Georgia

By Clint Thompson More emphasis should be placed on risk mitigation in the next farm bill, believes U.S. Representative Austin Scott (R-GA). He discussed the farm bill and the support needed for specialty crop growers at the University of Georgia Ag Forecast meeting on Jan. 26. “While we have projected to be a $1.5 trillion farm bill, the largest in …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Resistance Management Key to Diamondback Moth Control

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crop Grower Magazine

By Frank Giles For brassica growers, the diamondback moth reigns as the biggest pest problem they must fight. This is particularly true where the crops are produced year-round, like in Georgia. The pest is estimated to cause as much as $5 billion in crop losses every year worldwide. In the Southeast, cabbage, broccoli and collards are the preferred hosts of …

Neopestalotiopsis: The Latest Tips in Managing Strawberry Disease

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Strawberries

By Clint Thompson Neopestalotiopsis disease in strawberries remains a concern for Southeast growers. Natalia Peres, professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, provided producers tips on how to control the disease during her presentation at the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, Georgia. …

Blueberry Water Needs Highlighted During Southeast Regional

Clint ThompsonBlueberries, Florida, Georgia

By Clint Thompson Water requirements for blueberries was highlighted during the Southeast (SE) Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Wes Porter, University of Georgia Extension Precision Ag and Irrigation Specialist, focused his presentation on water needs for one of the Southeast’s most important fruit crops. “In the springtime when we start getting ready to put on buds and flowers, our water …

Battling Black Rot in Brassicas

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crop Grower Magazine

By Frank Giles Brassica crops have become an important crop in the Southeast. When it comes to disease management, black rot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris) is one of the biggest problems that growers fight. Black rot can affect all major brassica crops, including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards and kale. The disease causes the most damage in the leafy …

Carolina Strongback Rootstock Costly but Effective Option Against Fusarium Wilt

Clint ThompsonGeorgia, Watermelon

By Clint Thompson A costly but effective option for watermelon producers hoping to overcome fusarium wilt disease is the use of Carolina Strongback rootstock. Bhabesh Dutta, University of Georgia Extension vegetable pathologist, spoke about the rootstock during the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference. He talked about its success in research trials on the UGA Tifton Campus. “This is our …

Pruning’s Importance for Grape Producers

Clint ThompsonGeorgia, Grapes

By Clint Thompson It is time for an important management practice for grape producers in the Southeast. Sarah Lowder, University of Georgia viticulture Extension specialist, discussed the importance of pruning and what strategies growers should consider when managing their vines. “It’s one of the most important practices that you’ll do. It will set your crop potential for the following year,” …

McAvoy Earned Place in Florida Ag Hall of Fame

Clint ThompsonFlorida

You ask most Southwest Florida farmers who they turn to for science-based agricultural information, and they’ll say, “Gene McAvoy.” It’s no accident the growers know him. “When I first started to work in Southwest Florida, I would just ride around and cold-call visit farmers,” said McAvoy, now a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension agent …