Drought-like conditions continue to lessen in Alabama and Georgia, though dry conditions are now prevalent in most of Florida, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. A severe drought is observed in north Florida, in Taylor, Madison, Hamilton, Suwannee, Columbia, Gilchrist, Lafayette, Dixie and Levy counties. A moderate drought is also observed in surrounding counties in north Florida, including, Baker, Nassau, Duval, …
Neopestalotiopsis Widespread in Southeastern Strawberries
By Clint Thompson Neopestalotiopsis disease has been widespread across strawberry fields in the Southeast. It started in Florida and has continued in South Carolina. Natalia Peres, professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, said the increase in disease infestations is not surprising. “It’s not surprising considering we’ve had some weather like some …
Drought-Like Conditions Expanding in Florida
Drought-like conditions continue to lessen in Alabama and Georgia, though dry conditions are now prevalent in most of Florida, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. A severe drought is observed in north Florida, in Taylor, Madison, Hamilton, Suwannee, Columbia, Gilchrist, Lafayette, Dixie and Levy counties. A moderate drought is also observed in surrounding counties in north Florida, including, Baker, Nassau, …
Rain Helping Decrease Drought Levels Across Southeast
By Clint Thompson Heavy rain events in recent weeks have lessened the drought-like conditions being experienced across the Southeast. The timing couldn’t be better with planting season just around the corner. “You want to go into the growing season with good soil moisture,” said Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension agricultural climatologist. Specialty crop producers are getting their share of …
Florida Strawberry Grower: Sitting on Heavy Fruit Load, But It’s Green
By Clint Thompson Strawberry harvest season continues across South Florida. If the temperatures will increase and the weather stays consistently warm, the current harvests will increase in quantity, believes producer Matt Parke. “We are sitting on a heavy fruit load, but it’s green. It’s been so cool over here we haven’t come on to that February push yet,” Parke, farm …
Florida Peaches Running Behind Schedule
By Clint Thompson The Christmas freeze event brought much needed chill hours to Florida’s peach crop. But it still lags behind historical averages, according to Jose Chaparro, associate professor in the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). He said the crop this year will be delayed as a result. “We’re significantly behind. It looks like our bloom …
No Chill: Florida Peaches Will Be Delayed This Year
By Clint Thompson The Christmas freeze event brought much needed chill hours to Florida’s peach crop. But it still lags behind historical averages, according to Jose Chaparro, associate professor in the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). He said the crop this year will be delayed as a result. “We’re significantly behind. It looks like our …
Ecosystem Services Move Forward in Florida
By Frank Giles Farming has never been an easy profession, but the past few years have placed even bigger burdens on the job. The pandemic, supply-chain disruptions, inflation and extreme weather events have all placed additional challenges on profitability. Even before the pandemic, a group of growers in Florida began recognizing challenges to their sustainability was a larger discussion than …
Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference Offers Up Comprehensive Education Program
Registration is ongoing for the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference scheduled for Jan. 5-8, 2023, in Savannah, Georgia. The annual meeting brings together farmers and industry leaders from across the Southeast as well as provide educational sessions that cover commodities across the entire gamut of the specialty crop industry. These include blueberries, caneberries, citrus, muscadines, peaches, strawberries, vegetables, Vidalia …
Multiple Days of Sub-Freezing Temps Devastating for Southeast Specialty Crops
By Clint Thompson Specialty crop producers can usually stomach one day of sub-freezing temperatures. But four days? That was not the ideal scenario for growers across the Southeast this past weekend. It was disastrous for vegetable farmers, citrus growers and potentially strawberry producers. Prolonged temperatures in 20s over parts of the region, including South Georgia and North Florida, have been …