Few tickets are still available for the upcoming in-person Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training scheduled for March 23 in Belle Glade, Florida. The training is a one-day course for produce growers and packers who fall under the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule. For more information and registration Click Here! There is also a training scheduled for March 30 …
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. Statewide Dr. Matt Cutulle reports, “I saw my first nutsedge plants this year pop up in the plastic mulch of a fellow researcher’s trial last week in Charleston. Soil temperatures in plastic mulch systems are going …
Neglecting Weeds Can Lead to Late-Season Disease in Organic Onions
By Bhabesh Dutta, Timothy Grey and Jason Schmidt Georgia is known for many crops, and onion is one of the major vegetables produced. Organic onions are a developing commodity in the Vidalia region, but growers experience multiple pest and pathogen challenges. A multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Georgia (UGA) is working to improve sustainable, high-quality organic Vidalia …
North Florida Watermelon Plants Impacted by Sub-Freezing Temperatures
By Clint Thompson Sub-freezing temperatures impacted North Florida’s newly planted watermelons. But the impact was not as severe as it could have been, explains Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. “There are a few fields that probably will have to be replanted or at least partially …
Georgia Peach Grower: I Think We Dodged a Bullet; I Just Hope No More Bullets Come
State’s Crop Survives Weekend’s Sub-Freezing Temperatures By Clint Thompson Georgia’s peach crop appears to have survived the sub-freezing temperatures that were prevalent across the state this past weekend. Drew Echols, owner of Jaemor Farms in north Georgia, discussed the impact temperatures as cold as 18 degrees Fahreneheit had on his crop. “We were really just at about 30% bloom. Everything …
Alabama Cucurbit Producers: Be Mindful of Cucumber Beetles
Alabama cucurbit producers need to be mindful of looming insect pests they are likely to encounter this growing season. It starts with cucumber beetles, usually the first pest farmers will see this year, according to Ayanava Majumdar, Extension Professor in Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University. “They’ll jump onto the plants right when they’re young. They will start feeding …
Imports Not the Issue for Tomato Producers This Year
By Clint Thompson Normally, tomato producers can point the blame for suppressed market prices to rising imports, especially those arriving from Mexico. That is not the case this year, however. Florida farmers can only blame themselves for an oversupply of produce that has led to low prices, according to Bob Spencer, president of West Coast Tomato in Palmetto, Florida. “This …
Cover Crops in Citrus: There Are Many Advantages
There are many advantages to using cover crops in citrus groves, according to Sarah Strauss, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor. She recently discussed growers implementing cover crops at the Citrus Health Forum at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy. “Certainly, from the microbiology side, the scientific side, I think …
Hard Freeze Forecast for the Weekend
South Carolina’s specialty crop producers need to be mindful of their crops ahead of this weekend’s sub-freezing temperatures, according to The South Carolina Grower. Here are a few considerations for each crop. Strawberries Growers should plan to cover their strawberries to protect blooms and developing fruit. Row covers of at least 1.2 oz thickness will protect plants down to 22 …
Strawberry Plants at Risk During Cold Weekend
North Carolina State Extension cautions strawberry growers in the Southeast about sub-freezing temperatures this weekend that will impact the state’s crop. “While plants in the mid-Atlantic are still under covers and the crop in western North Carolina is not as advanced, especially growers in Georgia, South Carolina and eastern North Carolina will have to watch out to protect possible blooms …