As vegetable and specialty crop producers near another spring harvest season, marketing their product remains a focal point of their farming operations. Adam Rabinowitz, Assistant Professor and Extension Economist at Auburn University, implores producers to be better prepared this year amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “I really recommend producers think about their marketing and distribution earlier and really at the …
Enterprise Planning Budgets for Growers
By Kimberly L. Morgan and Tara Wade Wanna go fishin’? Have you ever wondered why we don’t ask who wants to go catching fish? Entrepreneurial adventures in farming may be compared to the distinction between fishing and catching any fish at all, regardless of hours spent throwing out a line, varying techniques, bait types, pole qualities and past experiences at …
Florida Tomato Growers Reminded to Destroy Plants Following Final Harvest
University of Florida/IFAS reminds tomato producers that plants must be destroyed within five days following final harvest of their crop. Under Florida law, abandoned tomato fields that have not been destroyed within five days after final harvest are subject to an Immediate Final Order per Rule, says Gene McAvoy, UF/IFAS Extension agent emeritus. If tomato plants are left in the …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in the The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Weekly Field Update Statewide Dr. Matt Cutulle reports, “Burndown herbicide efficacy can be reduced in colder weather, especially systemic products such as glyphosate (Reduced translocation in the cold means herbicide does not move through the plant …
Seed Selection Considerations
By Tiffany Bailey and Ida Vandamme Choosing vegetable varieties is probably the most important decision a grower can make and can be the difference between a crop failure or success. On our farm, we consider seed selection one of the most powerful and efficient tools as part of the cultural controls in an integrated pest management program. It takes no …
Drip Irrigation Efficient Means to Deliver Water to Plants
Drip irrigation vs. overhead irrigation? That truly is the question for vegetable and specialty crop producers in Alabama who are poised to produce a crop in 2021. Eric Schavey, Regional Extension agent in Northeast Alabama, advises producers to choose drip irrigation. It is more efficient in delivering water to the plant roots. “As far as a production standpoint, the drip …
Getting to the Bottom of Blossom-End Rot
By Maria M. Lameiras for UGA CAES News Home gardeners and commercial farmers alike can attest to the disappointment of seeing a beautiful tomato ripening on a vine, only to discover that the fruit has dark, sunken pits at the blossom end of the fruit. Called blossom-end rot (BER), this physiological disorder is prevalent in fruit and vegetable crops, including …
Increased Rainfall Not Helpful for South Florida Producers
The additional rainfall South Florida received earlier this week is not going to help vegetable and specialty crop producers still drying out from a wet November. Gene McAvoy, University of Florida/IFAS Regional Vegetable Extension Agent IV Emeritus, estimated his area in Immokalee, Florida had received almost three inches by the end of Monday. “(The rain’s) not going to help, especially …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in the The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Weekly Field Update This will be the final update of 2020. We will pick back up on Jan. 4, 2021. Be sure to keep an eye on the upcoming events tab give us a call if …
Managing Root-Knot Nematodes in Vegetables
By Johan Desaeger Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are one of the most rapidly spreading of all pests and pathogens. The southeastern United States (Florida, in particular) is a paradise for these parasites. Nematodes cause damage to vegetables all over the world, and anyone who has had to deal with root-knot nematodes knows how difficult they are to control. Root-knot nematode …