Midlands Region
Justin Ballew reports, “We had a few rain events last week, and temperatures were a little cooler. Fall planted crops are growing really well right now, but due to the recent moisture, we need to pay close attention to our disease management programs. In pecans, I’m not seeing many additional nuts dropping. Hopefully, we won’t lose any more between now and harvest. Scab is still being managed well, but we are seeing some signs of black aphids. The treatment threshold for black aphids from now to harvest is 15% of terminals (check all the leaflets on a terminal bud) have one adult aphid and nymph cluster present.”
Lesions from black pecan aphid feeding are showing up in the Midlands.
Justin Ballew, ©2022, Clemson Extension
Phillip Carnley reports, “We’ve had some much needed rain in Orangeburg and Calhoun counties. Field corn is currently being cut with yields varying between irrigated and non-irrigated. With the cloudy, cool weather, cottony leak (pythium) has been observed in cucumbers but limited to the wettest of low spots in fields. The wet weather has also delayed some cucumber harvests and pushed others forward depending on fruit maturity. In tomatoes, Southern stem blight is still a problem. In cases where it is seen, remove the infected plant and treat accordingly with a preventative fungicide. Pecan orchards are looking great with little in the way of scab until recently, but overall, a much better year than last. Still, keep a close eye out for black aphids. If you haven’t started prepping for the strawberry season, now is the time to get your fumigant and prep your beds. Ideally, your fumigant should be applied by September 1st. With prices fluctuating, planning a budget/ mapping projected cost is a must and NC State has a great budget tool that can be found here.”
Cucumbers are being machine harvested now in Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties.
Phillip Carnley, ©2022, Clemson Extension
Southern blight is still a problem in some areas.
Phillip Carnley, ©2022, Clemson Extension
Upstate Region
Kerrie Roach reports, “Apples are finally starting to ripen! It’s a long season of disease, insect, and crop management that is culminating in what looks like a great crop for SC growers this year. Some growers report Mutsu and Cameo varieties are a little short, which would correspond to a major cold event in spring while those varieties were flowering. In general, the crop load looks good and is overall clean if Mother Nature would cooperate and slow down on the rain.”
Mutsu apple on a farm in Long Creek, SC
Kerrie Roach, ©2022, Clemson Extension
Andy Rollins reports, “Muscadines are beginning to come in across the upstate. I continued harvesting the new seedless variety ‘Razzmatazz’ in an on-farm demo, and we also began picking a few ‘Supreme’ last week. Some growers went with me to visit a plant breeder in NC to learn about seedless cultivars in development. This past week I sent tomato disease samples of bacterial spot to an Auburn researcher. I also continue to find high numbers of immature stinkbugs on vegetable and fruit farms. I am seeing damage to tomato fruit from this insect. Strawberry land is being prepared now for planting. Bigred is an excellent peach to ask for now in the upstate.”
Muscadines are beginning to come in across the Upstate.
Andy Rollins, ©2022, Clemson Extension
Stink bugs are common in the Upstate right now.
Andy Rollins, ©2022, Clemson Extension
