Commercial Vegetable Production Blogs

It is starting to be potato leafhopper season in Illinois. Potato leafhoppers are pests on a variety of crops (fruit, vegetable, ornamental) and they do not overwinter here, so they migrate in from the south as the weather warms up. Potato leafhoppers feed by inserting their needle-like mouthparts...

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...

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...

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...

Weed Management is almost always a challenge on vegetable farms.  Even if you do have a manageable weed pest, management practices come at some kind of cost, from herbicide cost to labor for hand or mechanical weeding.  Dr. Stephen Meyers and Jeanine Arana just released a really nice...

Out in the field, spring plantings have been off to a good start.  Cool season crops have been very happy.  I have early planted radishes and spring greens approaching harvest.  Potatoes are planted and I set out some spring cauliflower and broccoli the first of the month and it is...

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...

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...

Early season cole crops have been planted in the caterpillar tunnel set up over the winter at DSAC. Instead of covering this smaller tunnel with clear plastic, a 30% shade cloth has been attached. Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, and swiss chard transplants were planted on March 21. Compost...

Fall Cover Crop Mixtures With spring weather pushing growth, our cover crops are also taking off as well.  I had some early fall planted spring oats, crimson clover, and rapeseed (25/6/2 lb/A, respectively) in a few areas including some planted after potato harvest last year...