Mechanical termination of the annual ryegrass cover crop has continued to be a problem in the treatment tunnel. Some of the annual ryegrass plots have continued to regrow even after two cuttings. These last two cuttings were a challenge because the tomato transplants were already set and tied with the first couple of rows of strings in the trellis weave system. Scissors or hand pruners had to be used to cut the grass stems back down to ground level. The continued regrowth is also negatively affecting the growth of the tomato transplants, pulling away nutrients and sunlight. Harvest collection data will provide quantifiable results on yield between mechanical and solarized termination cover crop plots. As another observation, the tomato transplants in the treatment tunnel, overall, look better than they have in several years in terms of growth, plant health, and vigor. Multiple years of yield data can be compared to see if this observation translates into improved yields.
After six weeks of growth in the high tunnels, tomato transplants have fruit set on first and second clusters with third cluster flowers flushing now. Bottom or first cluster fruits are sizing nicely. Peppers have been in the ground for about five weeks and are setting first flower cluster fruits. From the time the pepper seedlings were transplanted into the plug trays, a growth difference was observed across trays and across varieties. Instead of trays with uniform growth, some transplants were taller than others. All trays received the same amount of water, fertilizer and sunlight. These growth differences are still noticeable as they are growing out in the high tunnels. Hopefully growth will even out in the next few weeks, but time will tell.
The hydroponic tunnel is also performing well. The first harvest of cucumbers is expected next week, just four weeks after transplanting. One of the cherry tomato varieties, ‘Sun Sugar’ has a few ripe fruits, well ahead of the other varieties. A few eggplants are also sizing nicely and should be ready to harvest by the first of next week. The onions are growing well in the vertical stacks and starting to form bulbs at the top of the perlite.
Unlike the northern half of the state, our region of southern Illinois has received an overabundance of rain in the past three weeks. Cool and cloudy conditions have not helped with soil drying and finding windows to make effective pesticide applications have been challenging.
Plasticulture strawberry harvest is essentially over but those with matted row berries are harvesting now. I have observed fire blight strikes on my ‘Pixie Crunch’ and older unknown apple trees in my yard, but the ‘Gold Rush’ tree remains fire blight free. Apple cedar rust is affecting both the ‘Pixie Crunch’ and ‘Gold Rush’ along with damage from plum curculio and tarnished plant bug. These trees receive no spray applications.