Cold temperatures and a late-season frost could lead some South Georgia vegetable producers to replant some of their crops, namely watermelons and cantaloupes. Bill Brim, part owner of Lewis Taylor Farms in Tifton, Georgia, said his plants survived most of last weekend’s temperature drop, other than some cantaloupe plants in Worth County. “Cantaloupes got burnt a little bit in some …
How Sweet it is: Refractometers Help Melon Producers Determine Maturity
Watermelon plantings are under way across the Southeast, but it’s never too early to start thinking about harvest. While maturity levels in seeded melons can be determined by thumping the melon or observing its appearance, seedless melons are not as simple. Joe Kemble, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist, recommends producers to utilize a refractometer to determine the brix or sweetness levels …
Sneak Peek: April 2021 VSCNews Magazine
The April issue of VSCNews magazine explores biodiversity, conservation funding, watermelons and a variety of other topics. First up, an article by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professor Oscar Liburd and postdoctoral research associate Lorena Lopez, discusses how to control sweetpotato whiteflies with biological control agents like predatory mites in squash production. Conservation funding from the …
Resistant Varieties Key Against Anthracnose
It is never too early to start thinking about cucurbit disease management in Alabama. In the case of anthracnose, producers who are planting their crops are best served by utilizing resistant varieties, according to Ed Sikora, professor and Extension plant pathologist in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University. “I was just looking through the Southeast Handbook …
War of Deception: Consumer Awareness Key in Support of American Farmers
In the ongoing war between supporting local farmers against the influx of imports, American farmers need consumers to fight back. The significance of where food originates may never be more important than it is right now. With imports continuing to flood markets for various commodities, the end result is farmers contemplating selling their land. Others are wondering what else can …
Effectively Managing Pests While Protecting Pollinators
By Sylvia Willis, Amy Vu and Jamie Ellis Pollinators play an important role in the production of crops around the nation. Different crops rely on different techniques for pollination. Corn, for example, uses wind to carry pollen to female flowers, whereas watermelon depends on pollinators to deliver pollen. Pollinators include insects, birds and bats. Many fruits and vegetables result directly …
Sweet Rebound? South Florida Melon Producers Hope to Bounce Back
South Florida watermelon production could use a productive season following last year’s impact from COVID-19. Unfortunately, wind damage may derail farmers’ hopes. “Everything’s beat up from the wind and the cold. The crops that were planted super early more so than the ones that were planted late. I think if the weather stays like it is, the quality will be …
To Fumigate or not to Fumigate?
Excessive rains in February continue to impact South Georgia vegetable producers who are trying to plant this year’s crop. Some fields are still too soggy to apply fumigation, a necessary component of vegetable production in how it controls nematodes and other diseases like fusarium. Farmers are faced with the difficult decision that could impact yields come harvest season: Apply fumigation …
Long Wait: Solution for Citrus Greening Will Take Years
It may not be the news Florida citrus growers want to hear but it’s the reality of citrus greening. It is likely to be several years before a remedy is found and put in place to combat this destructive disease. Fred Gmitter, a University of Florida Professor in Horticultural Sciences, shared his assessment during a recent American Seed Trade Association …
Chilling Effect: Winter Weather Impacting South Florida Vegetable Production
Cool temperatures and wet conditions are impacting South Florida’s vegetable production. According to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline, yields are way below normal. As a result, prices have been good for various crops. “Volumes have been light with yields of many items 30% to 50% of normal or less,” the hotline reported. South Florida vegetable production has numerous …