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green head lettuce growing hydroponically in white gutters inside a greenhouse

Food safety considerations for hydroponic fruit and vegetable production systems

August 21, 2025

Soilless food production systems have become attractive as they present many advantages including more efficient use of the limited resources such as water that can be recirculated, growing food vertically in a small space, fewer pests, diseases, and no weeds that need to be managed, and the fact...

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green tomatoes with scarred skin growing on the plant

From Dixon Springs Ag Center: How heat stress is affecting high tunnel crops

August 21, 2025

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Conditions in far southeastern Illinois have been similar to those around the St. Louis area as far as heat and high humidity levels. The sustained, elevated humidity along with temperatures in the mid to upper 90s have created conditions with heat index values ranging from 105 to 110 degrees...

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three cream and two green colored caterpillars on a clear plate

Observations on the squash vine borer

August 21, 2025

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

This summer I observed something that I had not seen before. I am growing delicata squash in my backyard and I saw holes in one. I then observed a couple of other squashes with holes and frass (insect poop) coming out of the holes. I cut open the squashes and found both green and white caterpillars...

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small green cauliflower transplant growing in a field

From Southwestern Illinois (Waterloo): Time for planting of fall cool season crops

August 21, 2025

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Now is time to think about those fall cool season crops despite the fact the thermometer feels quite the opposite. I no-till transplanted my fall broccoli & cauliflower August 10. It caught a small shower that day but that didn’t go far and we have watered some to get them established. I also...

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tractor pulling a spray tank with a long bar attached and hoses hanging down to the ground

Equipment corner: Side dressing liquid fertilizer on crops

August 21, 2025

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

While fertigation is a great way to give our crops an extra boost, we still have many crops grown that are not irrigated and could benefit from a midseason nutrient boost. I am going to share the equipment I have put together to side dress nitrogen on pumpkins. It could also be adapted to...

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pumpkin plant with many large green leaves

Recommended 2025 pumpkin spray schedule

August 20, 2025

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Important ConsiderationsCheck The Cucurbit Downy Mildew Forecast Homepage for development and spread of downy mildew. Spray your field when the disease is in locations near your field with chlorothalonil (i.e., Bravo Weather Stik...

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person's hand holding a small apple still on the tree surrounded by leaves with orange spots

From Northern Illinois (Rockford): Apple fruit quality looks great this season

July 30, 2025

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

WeatherJuly was wet, stormy and hot. End of story. But really, some farms received excessive amounts of rain all at once that left them with temporary flooding conditions that was then combined with days of heat. Between July 10-11, parts of northern Illinois received 3-5 inches of rain. Some...

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grayish brown splotches on green pepper leaves

From Northeastern Illinois (St. Charles): Dry weather and scattered rainfall creating unfavorable crop conditions

July 30, 2025

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

This season has been hot and dry with scattered rainfall throughout the season for Northeastern Illinois. June average rainfall totals were approximately 3.80 inches, 0.50 inches below the 30-year average. July average rainfall totals have accumulated about 4.12 inches, 0.38 inches above the 30-...

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From Southwestern Illinois (Waterloo): Pumpkins are really taking off!

July 29, 2025

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

It never ceases to amaze me just how fast pumpkins grow at this point of the season. For us moisture has been very good since the first week after transplanting. These plants have been in the field right at a month. Pumpkins are starting to vine out and I just put on a side dress...

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Northern Illinois muskmelon research update: Cantaloupe maturity is looking good

July 29, 2025

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

In early June, three cantaloupe varieties were planted under un-irrigated woodchip mulch to measure fruit quality and marketability in Northern Illinois. Varieties selected were ‘Hales Best Jumbo’, ‘Hearts of Gold’, and ‘Honey Rock’, all sourced and donated from Livingston seeds. The field was...

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