By Clint Thompson Rising input costs. Accelerated imports. Little if any increase in market prices. It has become increasingly more difficult for Florida’s specialty crop producers to find sustained success. Vegetable farmer Marie Bedner credits diversification for Bedner Farms staying as successful as long as it has. “We’ve diversified and have the three retail stores, which that helps. We’re direct …
Weed Control in Peach Orchards
By Clint Thompson Weed control in peach orchards is an important management tactic. This is important for young and older orchards, says Wayne Mitchem, N.C. State Extension Associate and Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium Coordinator. “The idea is to try to minimize competition so we can maximize that tree growth in those formative years of the orchard so we can …
Fungicides Key During Grape Pruning
By Clint Thompson University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Fruit Disease Specialist Phil Brannen reminds grape producers that fungicides need to be applied as they prune their crop ahead of next season. “While they’re pruning and during the time they’re pruning, we do have some concerns about pruning wound injuries and pathogens that come in on pruning wounds. We do recommend …
San Jose Scale Management: Horticultural Oil Applications Key for Peach Producers
By Clint Thompson Horticultural oil applications are essential this winter for peach producers hoping to manage San Jose scale insects. Brett Blaauw, assistant professor at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, says the warm winter conditions across Southeast aid the scale’s development. Growers can ill-afford to miss an application. “Getting ready for their dormant applications …
Driverless Technology Rapidly Rolling Toward Reality
There was a truck driver shortage before COVID-19, but the pandemic certainly compounded the problem. Trucking is just one link in the supply chain that has been greatly disrupted in the past couple of years, but it is a critical one required to move goods across the country. Fruit and vegetable growers that need to transport their produce know the …
Cool October Impacts Development of South Carolina Strawberries
By Clint Thompson Cooler fall temperatures in South Carolina have delayed the development of some of the state’s strawberry crop. It is evident in most of the crop, says Bruce McLean, Clemson Extension Area Commercial Horticulture Agent in the Pee Dee Region. “The strawberry crop, for the most part, is looking behind from where it should be. There’s a lot …
Florida Tomato Expert: Production High, Prices Low
By Clint Thompson Almost perfect weather conditions for Florida production of tomatoes should have had most growers reaping the rewards by now. But that’s not the case, due in large part to a multitude of factors, says Michael Schadler, manager of the Florida Tomato Committee and Executive Vice President of the Florida Tomato Exchange. “The weather throughout the Florida growing …
Organic Blueberry Production: Challenging but Profitable
By Clint Thompson Organic blueberry production can be a profitable venture for aspiring producers in the Southeast. While market prices are higher than in conventional systems, growers need to be mindful of the various production challenges. These range from weed control options to selecting the right fertilizer. Gerard Krewer, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Georgia, discusses the obstacles …
Corteva Ridgeback™ Insecticide Effective Against Whiteflies
By Clint Thompson and Frank Giles Specialty crop producers can never have too many insecticides in their management system. Growers will soon be able to add a new insecticide to the toolbox from Corteva Agriscience. Ridgeback™ insecticide should provide farmers in the Southeast another weapon in the arsenal in their annual fight against one destructive pest, says Nathan Alonzo, product …
GFVGA Responds to USITC Cucumber, Squash Investigations
By Clint Thompson The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) investigations into the impact of imports of cucumbers and squash on seasonal domestic markets generated a positive response from the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). “They were never going to come out and make a recommendation or suggest any policy. It was really to provide the trade representative, Katherine …