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Commercial Vegetable Production

Commercial Vegetable Production

Blog Posts

rapeseed and crimson clover cover crops growing in a field
Read article: Cover Crop Update
Cover Crop Update
Fall Cover Crop Mixtures With spring weather pushing growth, our cover crops are also taking off as well.  I had some early fall...
vegetable transplants growing inside a black netted hoop house
Read article: Dixon Springs Update: Cool season crops growing in the caterpillar
Dixon Springs Update: Cool season crops growing in the caterpillar
Early season cole crops have been planted in the caterpillar tunnel set up over the winter at DSAC. Instead of covering this smaller tunnel with...
green asparagus spear growing from ground
Read article: Southwestern Illinois (Waterloo) Update: Spring is Abound
Southwestern Illinois (Waterloo) Update: Spring is Abound
We have been on the typical March roller coaster for weather lately.  We have generally been fairly mild but have gone from a few days around 80°F to...
small green seedlings in black trays
Read article: Dixon Spring Update: Caterpillar tunnel added for cool season crops
Dixon Spring Update: Caterpillar tunnel added for cool season crops
The latest addition to the demonstration tunnels at the Dixon Springs Ag Center is a caterpillar tunnel. The site was selected late last summer and...

News Releases

Ginger rhizome
How to grow tropical ginger for at-home spice
URBANA, Ill. — Growing fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs in the backyard can seem like a lot of work, but at the end of the season, the bountiful, tasty harvest is worth it. The International Herb Association named ginger (Zingiber officinale) the...
ginger plant laying on a bed of straw
The spice is right? Researchers explore growing ginger in Illinois
URBANA, Ill. Ask an Illinois farmer what specialty crop to grow to get the most bang for their buck and they will likely say tomatoes. Ask Chris Enroth, and his answer might surprise you – ginger. This tropical plant may seem out of place in a state known for growing row crops, but its...
Pumpkin Field Day poster
More than 80 pumpkin varieties to be featured at Field Day
URBANA, Ill. – Commercial pumpkin growers can enhance production practices at the upcoming University of Illinois Extension Pumpkin Field Day. The event begins at 10 a.m. Sept. 1 at Eckert’s Orchard near Belleville. Register by Aug. 29 at...