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Stormy clouds moving across a windmill in a Midwest pasture.

Warm spring and a hot and active start to summer

June 24, 2024

This month's weather information from Trent Ford, Illinois State Climatologist, 217-244-1330, twford@illinois.edu.A mild May wrapped up the 4th warmest spring on record in Illinois and the warmest since 2012. The warm spring added to a very mild winter...

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red and green strawberries on plant resting on black plastic mulch

From St. Louis Metro East: One of the longest strawberry seasons

June 24, 2024

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Who ever heard of plasticulture strawberry season and peach season overlapping but it did this year. Combined with at least a two week early start to the season and cultivars like ‘Ruby June’ strawberry that just keeps producing, this year’s strawberry harvest lasted a good solid seven...

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tomato plants growing inside a high tunnel

From Central Illinois (Decatur): Grafted tomato observations

May 30, 2024

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

I stopped by a large produce grower in my area, Maddox Sweet Corn Farm, and Ted showed me their grafted versus non-grafted heirloom tomato trial. In the photo (photo credit: D. Gucker Illinois Extension 2024), the row of tomatoes on the left and the row on the right are the same tomato variety. The...

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green peppers transplanted into brown dead cereal rye mulch

Cover Crop Update: Shifting to summer

May 30, 2024

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Spring cover crops are mainly now reaching their end. Many have been incorporated or terminated and either planted into or getting ready too. This is year 2 of my no-till/cover crop tomatoes and peppers in a small garden type area. This is an extension of a research project from...

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two periodical cicadas on an apple tree limb

From Southwestern Illinois (Waterloo): Example of periodical cicada damage on apple trees

May 30, 2024

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Out in the field, most crops have been off to a good start. There was a week or two of some downtime on planting due to the wet weather, but some of that is starting to resume. Harvest of peas, greens, and other spring vegetables is underway. Asparagus harvest is nearing the end with an early start...

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tomatoes and flowers growing in raised beds inside high tunnel

From Dixon Springs Ag Center: Crop development looking good in high tunnels

May 30, 2024

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

In our current research project, “Strategies for Improving Biological Control of Insect Pests for Vegetable Growers Utilizing High Tunnels”, the second treatment or strategy besides establishing and overwintering cover crops is growing a row of cut flowers within the same high tunnel as...

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People using a tractor and tree planter to plant peach tree samplings in a field

St. Louis Metro East Update: 2024 season is running well ahead of average

April 29, 2024

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Throughout the St Louis Metro East, the season is running roughly three weeks ahead of schedule, with asparagus in its third week of harvest and plasticulture strawberries in their first week of harvest. Apples are up to 5mm fruit size and thinning of fruitlets is in progress. Prior to “traditional...

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peach trees is an orchard with green leaves

Suggested spray schedule for peach trees without fruit

April 29, 2024

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Based on observations and considering results from peach brown rot research in the past three years, the following information is in regards to a spray schedule for peach trees without fruit: The important diseases: Leaf curl: A serious leaf disease, regardless of fruit crop....

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cover crops with yellow and red blooms in a field

Cover Crop Update: The April explosion

April 29, 2024

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Cover crops are always on the move in April. I said “explosion” because for many overwintering cover crops it is almost that. Some can grow over 1” or more per day this time of year! Fall Cover Crop Mixtures Here is a quick update on some early fall planted spring...

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people in a high tunnel with plants in rows

Dixon Springs update: Crops planted in high tunnels

April 29, 2024

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Crops are responding to warm spring temperatures and increased daylength. The crimson clover cover crop began flowering on March 29 and by April 3 was in full flower and ready to be terminated. In our current research project, “Strategies for Improving Biological Control of Insect Pests for...

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