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field of health dark green pumpkin plants

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...

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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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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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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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From Southwestern Illinois (Waterloo): Summer annual vegetable crops in full swing

July 28, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Summer is rolling on, about like a steamroller at the moment! We are in the midst of a summer wave of heat and humidity. Temperatures starting this last week of July are pushing 100 degrees with very high humidity. While we have not had a lot of rain in the past week, the last month has been pretty...

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three red tomatoes side by side on a blue background

From Dixon Springs Ag Center: What a difference a month can make!

July 28, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

What a difference a month can make!In last month’s DSAC update, it was noted that crops were performing well and not showing any signs of heat stress. That cannot be said this month. Tomato fruit quality issues are quite noticeable, appearing on the outside as yellow shoulder and white core on the...

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From Northeastern Illinois (DuPage County): Tornadoes and extreme weather events

July 1, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

On the evening of June 11, a tornado touched down in Bartlett and continued southeast bound towards Naperville, Lisle and Northern Indiana. A total of 23 tornadoes were confirmed on June 11 for the Chicago area from the...

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tomato stem with section of dying tan colored tissue

White mold or timber rot in tomatoes

July 1, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

During routine scouting of plants in the high tunnels at DSAC, a tomato plant was observed to be severely wilted. Upon further inspection, a dried up, tan colored section of the stem was found just above the first string of the trellis weave tying system. The plant was carefully removed and placed...

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tomato plants wilting and dying in high tunnel

From Central Illinois (Bloomington): From not enough to too much rain - saturated soils are enhancing food safety risks and killing crops

July 1, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

According to NOAA weather data, between May 1 and 30, Bloomington-Normal area received about 2.1” of rain – less than half the historical average of 4.8” in that month. We were heading back towards drought-like conditions for many growers – until June. As of the time of writing this part of...

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Indeterminate tomato variety trial fruit observations from DSAC

July 1, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Historically, applied fruit and vegetable research conducted at the University of Illinois Dixon Springs Agricultural Center in southern Illinois has always included variety trials, whether in open field production or in high tunnels. For the past 15 years, research projects have been conducted...

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