Commercial Vegetable Production

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tiny yellowing shriveled up pumpkin fruit with brown flower still attached on pumpkin vine
Why are my pumpkin fruit dying after bloom?
Often, I get the question: “My pumpkins bloom, but then the female fruit just shrivel up and die. Why is this happening?”There is no one...
a field with strawberry plants set out in rows of black plastic mulch
From Dixon Springs Ag Center: Summer harvest might be slowing but your irrigation needs to stay steady
The determinate tomato crop from the high tunnels at DSAC was picked out by the second week of August, which is a bit earlier than normal. A few late...
field of healthy dark green pumpkin plants
From Southwestern Illinois (Waterloo): Keep your guard up, crop scouting is important for fall crops too!
I had forgotten that it could actually rain in August!  After the last few years of late summer droughts, the timely rainfall this year in our...
people standing in a field of pumpkins
2026 Pumpkin Field Day
From seasoned commercial growers to those simply curious about Illinois' signature specialty crop, everyone can enjoy a day centered on pumpkins....
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A group of participants walking in a pumpkin field.
Local growers get fresh research and production strategies at Pumpkin Field Day
BELLEVILLE, Ill. — Attendees from across the Midwest braved the triple-digit temperatures to attend Pumpkin Field Day. The biannual event welcomed growers, educators, and industry partners for a hands-on pumpkin field day that highlighted the latest research, production strategies, and on‑farm...
Two split images with a person researching in a greenhouse on left and orange pumpkin on right.
Pumpkin disease not evolving, could make a difference for management
URBANA, Ill. — The pathogen that causes bacterial spot is very good at what it does. Forming small lesions on the rinds of pumpkins, melons, cucumbers, and other cucurbits, it mars the fruits’ appearance and ushers in secondary pathogens that lead to rot and severe yield loss. The bacterium,...
Alexis Barnes photo that says Welcome to the Team
New Illinois Extension educator returns home to support local food growers
ST. CHARLES, Ill. — From raising animals and bees to fruit and vegetable production, University of Illinois Extension strives to help small farms thrive. This summer, a new Extension educator joins the team to specifically support local food production in Kane, DuPage, and Kendall counties....
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