IFVN Vol. 32, No. 7 | September 2026 | Illinois Fruit and Vegetable News | Illinois Extension

From Southwestern Illinois (Waterloo): Keep your guard up, crop scouting is important for fall crops too!

August 31, 2026

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 area has been much appreciated. It is nice to not have summer crops struggling for water and the soil being as hard as a brick. I have recorded 5.35 inches of rain for the month as of 8/28 which is far different than the last few years....

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two rows of apple trees with red fruit hanging and the words illinois beginning orchard academy surrounded by a light yellow oval

Illinois Beginning Orchard Academy (IBOA)

August 31, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

I'm pleased to share that registration is now open for the Illinois Beginning Orchard Academy (IBOA), a six-week online course designed to help beginning fruit growers build a successful orchard from the ground up. Following a successful winter cohort, I'm...

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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?

August 31, 2026

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 answer to this but here are some of the contributing factors to why the plant will abort fruit. Good news and bad news - it is nothing you did...

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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

August 31, 2026

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 season fruits have set on the very tops of the plants, but I doubt they will amount to much of a harvest. The indeterminate tomato plants were...

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Illinois Extension welcomes new Local Food Systems & Small Farms educator

August 31, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

The newest member of the Illinois Extension Local Food Systems & Small Farms team is Krista Howard. Krista officially started with Extension on August 24 and will be covering Clark, Edgar, and Crawford counties. The Local Foods team is excited to welcome Krista onboard! Any growers located in...

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2026 Pumpkin Field Day

August 28, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

From seasoned commercial growers to those simply curious about Illinois' signature specialty crop, everyone can enjoy a day centered on pumpkins. Illinois Extension will kick off the fall season with Pumpkin Field Day on Thursday, Sept. 3, at...

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