This Week's IPM Weekly Update for 2022
This week's edition of the Pennsylvania Vegetable IPM Weekly Update contains the the Current Issues on Vegetables and Berries from Penn State Extension specialists and the Vegetable Diseases Update.. See this week's issue here.
Growers who wish to receive the IPM Weekly Update directly by email on Wednesday or Thursday when it is published should contact PVGA at pvga@pvga.org
Next Berry Growers Info Exchange is June 13th
PVGA is continuing to host a monthly get-together for berry growers on the second Monday night of the month at 8:00 p.m. Meetings are designed to give growers a chance to get time-sensitive updates on current issues from state and regional extension personnel, exchange info with other growers, get answers to their questions, or just listen in or bounce thoughts off of others. Kathy Demchak is the host.
Calls are open to PVGA members and non-members to maximize information exchange, so spread the word and invite your friends and neighbors to join.
The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83077021881
The call-in numbers are (be aware that this is not a toll-free call):
+1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC).
The meeting ID is 830 7702 1881
If you have questions, contact us at pvga@pvga.org or 717-694-3596.
Twilight At-Market: Weaver’s Orchard
Tuesday, July 19, 2022 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Weaver's Orchard, 40 Fruit Ln., Morgantown, PA 19543
The focus of Twilight At-Market: Weaver’s Orchard is business success factors. We will tour the farm and talk with the owners, managers, and educators about several business aspects of the orchard and farm market including pricing products for profit in turbulent times, staffing challenges, and creating dazzling market displays. We will explore and learn about the farm’s humble beginnings up to its current status.
See more here.
Seasonal Roots Promotes ‘Dirt to Doorstep’ Online Farmers Market
Richmond, Va.-based Seasonal Roots is filling a niche as a “dirt to doorstep” online farmers market serving Mid-Atlantic shoppers, said Duane Slyder, founder. Seasonal Roots began in 2011, connecting consumers in Virginia and Maryland with local produce farmers and artisans. “(Seasonal Roots) really started to support local farmers,” Slyder said. Seasonal Roots aims to provide quality and nutritious foods to consumers that are hyperlocal and seasonal.
Each week, produce, eggs, artisan foods and other items are delivered to the homes of customers. Members choose from nearly 200 seasonal items including fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meats and seafood, as well as artisan and prepared foods, breads and cookies, coffee, yogurt, dips, spreads, and more, according to the company’s website. See more here.
NASGA Summer Tour Features 8 Berry Farms
The North American Strawberry Growers Association’s Summer Tour features eight farms in the Toronto area. The farms on the Aug. 16-17 tour have unique features and most are operated by active NASGA members who are progressive, innovative growers, according to a news release. See the stops on this summer’s tour, as described by the NASGA, here.
Plan Now for Late Summer and Fall Vegetable Harvests
Plantings for late summer and fall harvested vegetables will be underway in the next few weeks. Timing these plantings can be a challenge, especially where multiple harvests are needed. Plantings from early July through the beginning of September may be made, with cutoff dates depending on the crop, variety, and season extension methods such as row covers, low tunnels, and high tunnels. These plantings can be divided into 2 groups: 1) warm season vegetables for harvest up to a killing frost and 2) cool season vegetables for extended harvest in the fall.
The three main factors influencing crop growth and performance in the fall are daylength, heat units, and frost or freeze events. A few days difference in planting date in the summer can make a big difference in days to maturity in the fall. See more here.
How Farm Markets Can Use Tech but Keep the Charm
Image is everything in marketing. However, when marketing food, image has some strong competition. Often the farm marketer wants to stay true to the down-home, country image of a rural farm to provide that atmosphere to customers. Unfortunately, today’s consumers are also pulled by convenience, and much of that convenience is backed up with technology. Can farm markets incorporate today’s high-tech tools without losing that home-grown feeling?
That idea resonated when I ran across a couple of articles describing supermarkets debuting “shoppable cookbooks.” Nothing new here, right? Farm marketers have been offering shoppers handy recipe cards spelling out how to cook farm-fresh offerings for years. See more here.
Renovating Plasticulture Strawberries
With strawberry season winding down in our annual strawberry production on plastic mulch, many growers may consider carrying the beds over for a second year’s harvest. These are some guidelines for renovation of plasticulture strawberries:
1) Evaluate disease pressure. If the planting had significant anthracnose, botrytis crown rot, phytophthora, or identified viruses do not carry over the planting. Do not carry over anthracnose susceptible varieties. See more here.
Calcium Disorders in Vegetable and Fruits
Calcium dominates exchange sites in soils and is rarely deficient in the soil. However, a number of calcium disorders can affect crops, even in well limed soils, including:
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Blossom end rot in tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants (see https://sites.udel.edu/weeklycropupdate/?p=15082) (Fig. 1)
- Blossom end rot in watermelons
- Watercore and glassiness in melons
- Internal leaf tipburn in cabbage
- Leaf tipburn and curd defects in cauliflower
See more here.
How to Run a Farm-Family Meeting
Regular meetings are essential to the success of any family business. Farming is no different. A good meeting can draw a team closer, sharpen the vision for the farm business, and rekindle the passion for farming. Family meetings can be a time for business issues or family issues — the most important thing is that everyone is clear about the purpose of the meeting. If one meeting focuses on farm business issues, there may be a need to schedule a different meeting that focuses on family issues.
Meetings are a time for everyone to be educated about what is happening on the farm. These meetings can help assure that all farm family members are working toward the same goals, and can be a time and place to come to an agreement. Meetings are also an opportunity to recognize and appreciate special efforts that make the farm successful. Consider the following tips to run productive and helpful family farm meetings. See more here.
Botrytis in High Tunnel Tomatoes
Botrytis gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) impacts many vegetable crops. This week I observed Botrytis causing leaf and stem infections in a planting of high tunnel tomatoes with full size fruits that were just beginning to ripen. Leaf symptoms appeared first but now petiole scars where leaves were removed have become infected and could cause stem girdling.
High humidity and moderate temperatures (65-73°F) are favorable for botrytis growth. To manage the disease in high tunnels provide good ventilation, use drip irrigation and prune plants in early afternoon to promote wound drying. Practice good sanitation measures by removing infected plants. If disease pressure is high and/or weather conditions favorable, consider fungicide application. Consult the Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Recommendations for fungicide recommendations. See more here.
Climate-Smart Ag Initiatives: Commodity Markets for a Sustainable Future
USDA unleashed a flurry of activity this year with the announcement of the $1-billion Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Program, which aims to accelerate sustainable agriculture practices through producer incentives and premium markets for food that is produced sustainably.
Driven in part from downstream demand from consumers, retailers and food companies, production systems must be able to measure and monitor on-farm activity to create transparency and authenticity behind climate claims. Input companies and technology providers play a role in supporting producers for practice change and also helping CPGs and retailers understand production systems to reinforce and validate their consumer marketing. See more here.
Shade Cloth for Bell Peppers
Over the past four years I have been testing the practice of using shade cloth in bell pepper production. Shade cloth is a knitted, weather resistant fabric that can be used to block a portion of the sunlight that would otherwise reach plants. It is commonly used in greenhouse and nursery plant production and could be useful in preventing heat stress in some vegetables. Different colors and levels of shade are available. For vegetables, shade cloth that blocks 30% of the sunlight is typically recommended. See more here.
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