A wet summer across the Southeast can only mean one thing – very little drought across the region. That continues to be the case as evidence by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Persistent rains have provided sufficient moisture for Georgia and Alabama. Neither state is reporting any abnormally dry conditions. The majority of Florida has sufficient moisture as well, except for …
Sweet Future for Papayas in Florida?
By Clint Thompson University of Florida/IFAS research yielded profitable options for tropical fruit producers yearning to produce a new crop. That crop is papaya. “It’s about more options and de-risking the process,” said Alan Chambers, plant geneticist at UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center. Chambers conducted research at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead and featured various …
Drought-Less Region: Sufficient Moisture Remains in Alabama, Florida and Georgia
According to Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, most of the Southeast continues to have sufficient moisture amid a wet summer. No areas of Alabama or Georgia are abnormally dry. Only a small part of Miami-Dade County in Florida is abnormally dry. South Carolina has sufficient moisture, except for a small region across the northwest part of the state. …
Dissipating Drought: Recent Rains Bring Sufficient Moisture to Southeast
A wet June has help alleviate some of the drought being experienced across the Southeast, according to Thursday’s updated release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. This is especially true for South Florida, a region that has been challenged with dry conditions for some time. Currently, only a few counties are experiencing abnormally dry conditions. These include the majority of Miami-Dade …
Laurel Wilt Disease: Major Problem Impacting Florida’s Avocado Industry
By Clint Thompson The largest produced tropical fruit in Florida is enduring a disease that is having similar impact that Greening is having on the state’s citrus industry. Avocados, which are produced on approximately 1,500 acres in South Florida, are being severely impacted by laurel wilt disease. “It seems like as it’s getting worse and worse,” said Alan Chambers, plant …
Imports’ Impact Felt Beyond Florida, Georgia
Lawmakers Re-introduce Defending Domestic Produce Production Act By Clint Thompson Increased imports are not just a concern of Southeast vegetable and specialty crop producers. Farmers in South Carolina and Michigan are feeling the pinch as well. Southeast growers have rallied additional allies in their fight against imports, as noticed by the recent re-introduction of the Defending Domestic Produce Production Act. …
U.S. Drought Monitor Update: Florida’s Dry Conditions Diminishing
According to the Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, dry conditions are slowly diminishing in Florida, especially in the southern part of the state. While most counties, including Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Hendry, Collier and Glades are still abnormally dry, none are in a moderate drought. Other counties that are partially abnormally dry include Polk, Hardee, Manatee and Sarasota in …
Growing Calabaza: Crop Perfect for Summer Gardening in Florida
MIAMI-DADE, Fla. – Attention Florida vegetable producers and homeowners: Don’t let the summer go by without trying your hand at producing the calabaza. New crop on the block, Calabaza Pumpkin in Florida is the latest video led by Geoffrey Meru, a vegetable geneticist at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center. The video guides homeowners and interested growers with the background …
U.S. Drought Monitor: Abnormally Dry Conditions Throughout Florida
Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that much of South Georgia remains abnormally dry. As far west as Decatur County had partial abnormally dry conditions stretching all the way to Camden County along the Atlantic Coast. As far north as Atkinson County, Berrien County and Cook County were abnormally dry. North Florida remains abnormally dry, stretching from Wakulla …
Weedy Issue: Ragweed Parthenium Becoming Major Problem in Florida
By Clint Thompson One weed is expanding rapidly across Florida. “Ragweed Parthenium, I would say is the biggest issue that’s relatively new. Its range seems to be rapidly expanding. Not that it didn’t ever occur here before, but I never saw Ragweed Parthenium in any of the specialty crop fields around us, and that’s mostly tomatoes and strawberries. Now I …