Commercial Vegetable Production

The active ingredient chlorothalonil (e.g. Bravo, Daconil) is undergoing the registration review process, and the public comment period is now open through January 17 for the EPA’s Chlorothalonil, Proposed Interim...

While the calendar says fall, it feels more like summer. Highs have been in the upper 80s and low 90s. Limited rainfall has been the biggest issue recently. Since August many areas have had 0.5 inches or less of rain. We did get a break the last week of September when we got 1 to 2 inches of rain...

In walking through the hydroponic tunnel at the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center this week, the stark difference in powdery mildew disease pressure could not be ignored and was the inspiration for this article.  In the guide from Missouri Extension,...

The ginger crop languished in the Unity high tunnel during August, putting on minimal growth — even with shade cloth in place of plastic over the top of the tunnel. The ginger trial team and I are starting to think that this crop may benefit from more than the 30% shade cloth we are using in the...

The St Louis Metro East in the last few weeks has been experiencing what I would call “resort” weather, with temperatures during the day in the upper 70s to middle 80s and nighttime lows in the upper 50s to low 60s.  Apple harvest is in the ‘Golden Delicious,’ ‘Red Delicious,’ and ‘Jonagold’...

Not to brag or anything, but we may be on a 2-week streak of what I consider perfect weather. The humidity levels have dropped making it easier to breath, and the temperatures have been in the upper 70s to low 80s during the day. We did receive about 0.1” of rain on September 21 which was just...

Pumpkins are doing well. I gave my pumpkins a side dress application of nitrogen the first week of August and they have really taken off we have fruit starting to size nicely. I have not seen any signs of powdery mildew yet but have started spraying preventative fungicides, especially given the...

We had a break from the summer heat last week, but this week the heat dome has moved back over our region creating very hot, humid conditions. With 95-100° temperatures and heat indexes ranging from 105-120°, much of the field work in our high tunnels is completed before noon with lots of water and...

Dew remains on plant surfaces well into the morning hours, creating conditions conducive to powdery mildew. Benefitting from the rains are weeds. This is the busy time of harvest and weeds can rapidly grow to a seed producing size if not controlled with mowing, hoeing, cultivation, or post-emergent...

July has brought a little relief from the drought conditions, but for some that relief has been short-lived. Locally, most areas have received a cumulative total of an inch or more of rainfall this month. Some areas still have been missed for more soaking rains and the moisture has been a “band-aid...