By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon growers must remain diligent with their irrigation applications as harvests continue across the Suwanee Valley. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, highlighted in his weekly email the importance of irrigation, especially with some fields picked just once or not at …
Drought Monitor Update: Conditions Worsening in South Florida
The May 29 issue of the U.S. Drought Monitor shows dry conditions expanding and worsening across southern Florida. Abnormally dry conditions cover a wide area of Southwest Georgia, while minimal drought is observed in Alabama. The worst area in Florida is covered in the southwest part of the state. Extreme drought is observed in Manatee, Hardee, Sarasota, DeSoto, Charlotte, Lee, …
Lot of Tonnage Left: North Florida Watermelon Harvests Continue
By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon harvests are in their fourth week across the Suwanee Valley region. One industry expert believes there is still more than half of the crop remaining. “There are many fields that are basically in the first harvesting. I would say we have a lot of tonnage out in the fields yet to be harvested if …
Bacterial Spot’s Long Impact on Southeast Tomatoes
This is the first in a two-part series on the disease and UF/IFAS research. By Clint Thompson One tomato disease has long been a thorn in the side of producers throughout the Southeast. Gary Vallad, professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, discussed bacterial spot …
Salibro an Effective Treatment Option for Nematodes
By Clint Thompson Salibro nematicide provides Florida vegetable growers another new tool in the toolbox when managing nematodes. Johan Desaeger, assistant professor of entomology and nematology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, discusses Salibro and its impact on the soil pests. “We have this new nematicide called Salibro which …
Downy Mildew Remains Key Threat to North Florida Watermelon Crop
Downy mildew disease remains the most important threat to North Florida watermelons, a couple of weeks into harvest season. That’s the assessment made by Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. The disease has not “blown up” this year, and Hochmuth attributes that to growers being proactive …
Tomato Field Day Shows Off Latest Research
In mid-May, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center hosted a tomato field day to showcase research being conducted at the facility. The event was well attended, filling up several wagon loads of people who made their way through six field stops that focused on nematodes, tomato breeding, fertilizer recommendations, …
Drought Monitor Update: Florida Still Mostly Dry
The May 22 edition of the U.S. Drought Monitor shows lingering drought in central and southern Florida, though conditions are much improved in Georgia and Alabama. Extreme drought is still present in a large area in South Florida. It includes all or parts of such counties as Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Hendry, Palm Beach, Collier, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe. Severe …
Overview of Florida’s Peach Industry
By Clint Thompson Adequate chilling and warm temperatures in early spring helped Florida’s peach crop to develop as they should. As a result, growers enjoy a productive season with this year’s crop. “We had a normal year in terms of chilling, with the accumulative chilling in November and December. They bloomed in the middle of January, and they had enough …
North Florida Watermelons ‘Excellent’ Crop
By Clint Thompson Watermelon harvests are well underway across the Suwanee Valley region of North Florida. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, likes the quality and quantity of this year’s crop, even with some acres impacted by fusarium wilt disease. “I think we’ve got an excellent crop …


















