By Clint Thompson Peach production in Florida is unpredictable this year. The inconsistent weather conditions are a key reason why, explains Jose Chaparro, associate professor in the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). “The way that we accumulated chilling this year was really bizarre. I can tell you that in the Umatilla area that they’re going …
ABT Populations Low Across South Florida
Asian bean thrips (ABT) populations remain low across the South Florida region, according to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Scouting detected ABTs at a rate of less than 0.1 per bloom across most of the monitored fields. The one exception was eastern Immokalee, where populations reached 0.5 per bloom late in the crop cycle. …
North Florida Watermelon Plants Rebounding from Freeze
By Clint Thompson The majority of North Florida’s watermelon plants have rebounded from the cold temperatures during the weekend of March 12. Damaged plants are beginning to show new growth and make a significant recovery in a week and a half since temperatures dropped below freezing. Growers who started planting earlier in mid-to-late February are seeing the biggest difference, says …
Oversaturated Soils Delaying Specialty Crop Plantings in North Alabama
By Clint Thompson Persistent rains and oversaturated soils have delayed plantings for some specialty crops in North Alabama. “A lot of rainfall is delaying planting dates. Like (Monday), I visited a couple of growers in central to North Alabama and they were saying, ‘We have all of our seedlings ready for transplants, but our soils are too wet,” said Andre …
Georgia Wine, Grape Producers Fail to Approve Marketing Order
Georgia wine producers voted against implementing a marketing order that would have created an assessment on all taxable wine produced by licensed Georgia wineries. Of the 58% of the eligible growers that voted between February 8 and March 9, only 38% voted in favor of the marketing order. The order would have allowed the Georgia Wine & Grape Commission to …
What’s Happening: Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide crop updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Weekly Field Update Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Starting with strawberries, spider mites are increasing in the area with eggs and adults warranting treatment. Strawberry crops are very susceptible to mite damage at the moment. Remember …
New Florida Blueberry Varieties on Display during Field Tour
By Frank Giles The University of Florida (UF) blueberry breeding team hosted a farm tour last week to showcase commercially available and varieties in development at stops in Arcadia and Dade City. Doug Phillips, blueberry Extension coordinator for UF, said the tour evaluated two production systems. “We visited a farm down in Arcadia for the morning stop on our Blueberry …
Gummy Stem Blight Disease: Be Proactive, Not Reactive
By Clint Thompson The best defense against gummy stem blight disease is a good offense. Protectant fungicides are available for Alabama’s watermelon producers to guard against it, but growers need to be proactive in applying the fungicides and not be reactive, says Ed Sikora, professor and Extension plant pathologist in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University. …
Soil Health: UF Scientists Receive Grant to Study Fumigation
By Brad Buck, (352) 875-2641, bradbuck@ufl.edu Fumigants are an essential tool growers implement before planting to manage soil health. They reduce harmful diseases such as Fusarium wilt and pests like root-knot nematodes and weeds that compete for water and nutrients. Their effect on soil diseases, pests and weeds help sustain production. But how does it happen, especially considering there’s so …
UGA Extension Specialist: Fruit Farmers Not Out of the Woods Yet
By Clint Thompson Southeast strawberry and peach producers weathered the latest freeze event on March 13. However, they are not out of the woods yet. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Fruit Disease Specialist Phil Brannen says growers are yearning for warm temperatures and dry conditions over the next month. “We’ve got another full month before we’re out of the woods …