We are testing soil solarization as an effective management strategy for bindweed, a nasty perennial weed, at our Unity site. We know soil solarization can work for control of annual broadleaf and grass weeds, but I have never attempted to control a perennial weed with it. A bindweed-infested bed...

Phytophthora blight, caused by Phytophthora capsici, is the most important disease of cucurbits and peppers in Illinois. In wet conditions, the disease may cause 100% crop losses. Following the recent heavy rainfalls, the disease developed in our pumpkin plots near South Pekin in Tazewell...

We were thankful for the small shot of rain we received over the weekend (0.5” total across two days). Some locally isolated areas received 1.5 to 2.0” while others barely saw 0.1”, but overall, our region is still very dry, like the rest of the state. Daytime temperatures have been staying in the...

As I write this, scattered showers are moving through much of southern Indiana. It is unclear yet how much moisture these showers will produce for any given area. What is clear is that May and June have been unusually dry for most of Indiana and Illinois. How will this dry spell affect overall...

It is still very dry overall across our area. We have had a few scattered rain chances that have brought most at least some rain; however, we are at such an overall deficit, that it just doesn’t feel that it goes very far. Last weekend was the most “widespread” rainfall we have had, but still, some...

Our production and demonstration garden at the Unity Community Center in Normal received a nice infrastructure upgrade recently — a small high tunnel. Besides adding the capacity to grow protected culture crops over the cooler months for our free community food donation program, it is allowing me...

Be part of the largest food, farmers market, and specialty crop conference in Illinois. Share your knowledge, lessons learned, or research with industry leaders and growers across the state. Consider speaking at the From Food to Flowers: Everything Local Conference hosted by the Illinois Specialty...