Weekly Field Update – 9/25/23

Clemson and UGA have teamed up to offer a Strawberry Production Webinar Series. Each week, for 3 weeks, a pre-recorded presentation will be sent to registrants. Topics include weed management, neopest, and managing cold events. participants will have one month from the date of release to watch the presentation and earn pesticide credits. Participants can watch one, two, or all three, though only the first two will offer pesticide credits. Registrants answer a few simple questions about the content in the videos to receive the credits. View and register here.

Check out upcoming meetings on the Upcoming Events tab, and don’t forget to look at our Resources tab for links to crop handbooks, helpful websites, and related blogs. Also, check out the latest episode of the SC Grower Exchange Podcast.

Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the Week, and check back on Thursday for the answer.

Coastal Region

Zack Snipes

• We’ve had a great week of fall-ish weather for crops.
• Okra is still coming in at good volumes.
• Brassicas are in varying stages right now. I have seen some weird disease symptoms on brassica transplants. These symptoms seem to be bacteria related. It is critical to inspect transplants before planting them, as many bacteria will survive in the soil and crop debris. This means that once a pathogen is introduced, it will persist for years and show back up if you plant the host crop.

Midlands

Rob Last

• It has been a cooler, dry week in the Midlands, leading to rapidly drying soils. Soil moisture is beginning to inhibit germination for some direct-seeded crops.
• The area’s crops look good, with early collards, turnip, and mustard greens coming to market.
• Diamondback moth numbers remain low, and I would suspect numbers will begin to increase.
• Other pests and diseases in the Midlands remain low.
• Maintain vigilance and scouting to monitor pests and diseases.
• Early detection and monitoring can help to reduce detrimental impacts and lead to effective management.

Pee Dee

Brittney King

• Nighttime temps have lowered, and fall is here!
• Pumpkins, squash, and cucumber are looking good so far. A few instances of downy mildew have been spotted in cucurbits, so make sure to continue applying fungicides until the last harvest. Keep in mind that it is more effective to spray fungicides as a preventative measure throughout the growing season than to only spray when a disease causes noticeable damage. Most often the disease is already present and spreading before our eyes can see it. Rotating modes of action of fungicides will give extra protection against disease resistance.
• Strawberry beds are being prepped transplants will be coming in in a few weeks. Make sure to inspect transplants for disease when you receive them. Remember that the key to optimizing your yield is starting out with healthy plants!

Question of the Week

What is this odd brown thing?

Answer in the comments below and check back on Thursday to see the answer.