Commercial Vegetable Production

Events

Blog Posts

tiny yellowing shriveled up pumpkin fruit  with brown flower still attached on pumpkin vine
Read article: Why are my pumpkin fruit dying after bloom?
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
Read article: From Dixon Springs Ag Center: Summer harvest might be slowing but your irrigation needs to stay steady
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 health dark green pumpkin plants
Read article: From Southwestern Illinois (Waterloo): Keep your guard up, crop scouting is important for fall crops too!
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
Read article: 2026 Pumpkin Field Day
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....

News Releases

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....
Cattle and crops
Illinois Extension investing in the future of farming across the state
URBANA, Ill. — Helping Illinois farmers grow thriving crops and livestock has always been at the heart of University of Illinois Extension’s mission. Using feedback received from farmers and other agricultural stakeholders through a 2022 survey, Extension is currently...

Staff