Irrigation’s Importance for North Florida Watermelon Crop

Clint ThompsonFlorida

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 …

Lot of Tonnage Left: North Florida Watermelon Harvests Continue

Clint ThompsonFlorida

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 …

Georgia Watermelon Harvests Starting This Week

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Georgia’s watermelon harvests are expected to pick up this week amid an unfortunate market decline for the region’s watermelon growers. Ty Torrance, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable agent for Colquitt, Tift and Worth counties, discussed the status of the watermelon crop in his region. He believes the lack of rain in some areas impacted the crops, …

Downy Mildew Remains Key Threat to North Florida Watermelon Crop

Clint ThompsonFlorida

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 …

North Florida Watermelons ‘Excellent’ Crop

Clint ThompsonFlorida

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 …

Sunburn a Concern for Watermelon Crop

Clint ThompsonAs Seen On Instagram, Florida

By Clint Thompson High temperatures this week have watermelon producers concerned about potential sunburn on this year’s crop. It could impact growers in the North Florida region who have already started harvesting and those in South Georgia and South Alabama that are still a few weeks away. “In some cases, these fields that haven’t been walked over yet, as long …

Let the Harvests Begin: North Florida Watermelon Producers Starting to Harvest Crop

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon harvests are expected to take off this week amid prolonged sunshine in the forecast. In fact, some have already started. “I saw some busses locally that were loaded with watermelons, so apparently somebody started over the weekend,” said Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Regional Specialized Extension agent in …

Rainy Impact: Expect Disease Pressure Increase in North Florida Watermelons

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson A ‘significant increase’ in watermelon diseases is expected across the Suwanee Valley region of North Florida following rainfall last weekend. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, reported in his weekly email that reports over gummy stem blight and downy mildew should spike after rainfall …

North Florida Watermelon Progression

Clint ThompsonAs Seen On Instagram, Florida

By Clint Thompson The sooner that watermelons in the Suwanee Valley can be harvested and marketed this year the better for North Florida producers. That time frame looks to be around mid-May, says Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. If the current hot and dry weather …

North Florida Watermelon Update: Powdery Mildew Confirmation

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Powdery mildew disease has been confirmed in watermelon in the Suwannee Valley region of North Florida. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, noted in a weekly email that as a result of having low disease incidence, growers should “keep things simple.” “Perhaps a …