In the southern region, it is time to get prepared for uncovering strawberries in both annual plasticulture and matted row systems. When you start checking strawberry growth under covers, what you find underneath is quite different between the two systems.
Straw, the primary cover in...
We have gotten a break from the most intense cold with a fairly mild February overall. Precipitation has been fairly light so far with only 0.54” of rain in this month bringing our yearly total to 5.82”. Half of our February precipitation came 2/16 in the form of a light layer of ice...
The high tunnel at the Unity Community Center was very lightly surface tilled in early January and a cover crop of oats, forage pea and hairy vetch was planted throughout, and top-dressed with compost, all in preparation for another year of ginger cultivation. We ordered 30lbs (!) of ginger seed...
The information in this blog post was submitted by Marty Williams, USDA-ARS (217-244-5476; martin.williams@usda.gov).
Severe sensitivity to a relatively new postemergence herbicide, tolpyralate (trade name Shieldex), has been documented in certain inbred lines of field corn and sweet corn....
The big question on everyone’s mind is whether the peach crop has been affected by the recent cold snap. Experience tells us -9°F is the benchmark temperature of concern for peaches, where there is an ever-increasing risk of bloom thinning and cambial damage as temperatures approach and drop past...
Rain, rain, glorious rain!!! We are happily finally getting some much-needed rain in quantities that actually can help us recover the depletion of soil moisture from over the first month of this year. The nice part is that it really is not hampering any major field activities right now...
With climate change, many growers are concerned about plants receiving enough cold to be fruitful the next year. Endodormancy, a period of rest, is a term used when plant buds remain dormant due to some internal physiological block, even when external growing conditions are conducive to growth. A...
For many growers, January and February is the time to attend meetings and conferences to learn about the latest research information, production and marketing management practices, and to network with other growers. Many have already made seed orders for the coming season but may decide on a last-...
The Illinois State Horticulture Society sponsored its 34th Illinois Sweet Cider Contests and the 21st National Hard Cider Contest, held in conjunction with the From Food to Flowers Everything Local Conference on January 18th in Springfield, Illinois. Patrick Riofredo and Victor Rios of Curran’s...
The active ingredient chlorothalonil (e.g. Bravo, Daconil) is undergoing the registration review process, and the public comment period is now open through January 17 for the EPA’s Chlorothalonil, Proposed Interim...
