By Clint Thompson
South Carolina’s recent dry period has led to minimal disease pressure in the state’s specialty crops. It is especially evident in the Midlands area where Justin Ballew, Clemson Commercial Horticulture agent, is located.
“Since we’re irrigating about 100% of our crops, (the dry weather) has actually not really been a bad thing. We’ve had very low disease pressure so far this fall (and winter). Of course, it would be good to get some rainfall to refill irrigation ponds and stuff, but being that we irrigate and everything, we haven’t missed it as much as some row crop folks would,” said Ballew.
Dry conditions in South Carolina range from abnormally dry in the southern and northwest regions of the state to moderately dry and severely dry conditions in the north and northeast parts of the state, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Ballew said there are still various greens still being produced, including collards, kale, mustard, turnip and cabbage.
“We’ve had a real light disease year in brassicas, strawberries. We didn’t get a good killing frost until a few weeks ago. Even cucurbits and stuff weren’t too bad right there at the end,” Ballew said.