SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – March 13, 2023
Statewide Justin Ballew reports, “Well, we knew a “late” cold spell was likely to happen at some point. Growers will need to take some steps to prepare for the cold over the next few days. The...
Author: Justin Ballew
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report- March 6, 2023
Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Fruit crops are all developing well with good fruit set and flowering. Strawberry crops are beginning to ripen, heralding a fresh taste of spring. Pests and disease...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report– February 27, 2023
Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “After a warm week in the Lowcountry, we received some welcome showers. The rainfall will aid in cultivating and bed formation for spring crops. Beds should be...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – February 20, 2023
Statewide Tom Bilbo reports, “If you’re growing strawberries in the warmest parts of the state and you haven’t been checking and/or spraying your fields for spider mites, you’re going to want to....
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – February 13, 2023
Statewide Tom Bilbo reports, “When scouting strawberry fields for spider mites, also keep an eye out for naturally occurring predatory mites, such as the [potentially] highly effective specialist...
What Is It? Wednesday – Phytophthora Crown Rot
This dark reddish/brown discoloration in the crown is a typical symptom of Phytophthora crown rot. The first observable signs of this disease include wilting and browning of the leaves in the field....
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report- February 6, 2023
Statewide Guido Schnabel reports, “The new year started with a disappointment and scare for some strawberry growers. Stunted plants, gaps in the strawberry rows, and leaves dying. The extent of the...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – January 30, 2023
Statewide Tom Bilbo reports, “When spider mites first invade and establish in fields, they will be distributed in a series of clustered hot spots, usually near field borders, especially near a dusty...
What Is It? Wednesday – Discolored Cauliflower
What Caused Parts of This Cauliflower Head to Purple? This cauliflower has some purpling/reddening caused by exposure to sunlight. It is important to have enough healthy leaves on the plant to cover...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report- January 17, 2023
The Weekly Field Updates are back for 2023! We hope everyone had a great holiday season and is off to a good start this year. We have lots of fruit and vegetable meetings over the next couple of...
What Is It? Wednesday – Cudweed
This is a species of cudweed (Gnaphalium sp.). Cudweed grows in a rosette form through most of the winter until the weather warms up, allowing it to produce inflorescence. Inflorescence may appear...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – November 28, 2022
Today’s update will be our final update of 2022. With things slowing down in the field, we will take some time to focus on other projects, and the Weekly Field Updates will resume in January. We...