Weekly Field Update – 2/26/24

We have lots of meetings coming up over the next few months, so be sure to keep a close eye on the Upcoming Events tab so you don’t miss anything. Coming up this week we have the Pee Dee Vegetable Production Meeting in Florence.

Also, check out the latest episode of the SC Grower Exchange Podcast below.

Don’t forget to look at our Resources tab for links to crop handbooks, helpful websites, and related blogs. 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.

Statewide

Tom Bilbo, Extension Entomologist

• In the Lowcountry, with the recent and forthcoming moderate temperatures, we’ve been picking up more diamondback moths in our pheromone traps and have also seen an increase in larvae in our collard plots at Coastal REC. We are continuing our research from last year assessing diamondback moth parasitism (by parasitoid wasps) throughout the entire season. Last year, we saw high parasitism rates (>80%) right from the get-go in March so it is important to conserve these natural enemies early by withholding insecticides until they are needed and then using insecticides selective for caterpillars.

Coastal Region

Zack Snipes

• For strawberry growers, now is the time to put out your boron. If we miss this application of boron, you will have bull-nosed and misshapen fruit 35-40 days from now. Boron is cheap and very easy to put out as a topical spray or via the drip fertigation system. We recommend 1/8 to ¼ lb of actual boron per acre. Be careful, as boron is an excellent herbicide if applied too heavily, so follow the chart provided to determine how much of which product you should use.
• I am still seeing leaf spots on strawberries that concerns me. Plants are cleaner and healthier where growers have sanitized and sprayed. When in doubt, send a sample to the lab.
• All other crops are looking great and have bounced back nicely after the big freeze a few weeks ago.

Midlands

Sarah Scott

• Peach trees are at varying stages of bud development. Although we have bloom beginning in some earlier varieties, development does seem to be a bit slower than last year. Above-average temperatures predicted for this coming week will likely speed up that progression. 
• Oil sprays will continue to go out on those varieties still in dormancy/delayed dormancy. Copper sprays for bacterial spot control go out at this time, as well. Dr. Hehe Wang is trialing some work with biologicals to use in place of oxytetracycline for bacterial spot issues so we look forward to seeing those results in the coming season.

Upstate

Andy Rollins

• Peach bloom is just beginning in the Upstate, but thankfully just in really early varieties at this point. Growers are fertilizing now, most only putting half of the total nitrogen they intend on using. This split application has been used by more growers in hopes of not over growing young trees. If the trees can get past the possible freezes, growers will apply the other half of the needed fertility. We will need to be putting on our bloom sprays very soon. Blossom blight is our primary concern, especially with rain and higher temperatures at 25% bloom. Vanguards, captan, or Bravo would all be good choices.  
• Strawberry growers are fertilizing also through the drip systems to help grow the developing flowers and a few early fruit that are now out. I recommend starting at the 1/2 lb actual nitrogen per day. That would be 3.5 lbs of nitrogen per week. An easy way to calculate the amount needed would be to divide the 3.5 by the percentage of the fertilizer you plan to use.  For example if you were using greenhouse grade calcium nitrate (15.5% N),  you would divide 3.5 by 0.155. This tells you to inject 22.5 lbs of that product per acre. If you are using a liquid, you have to divide that number by the weight of the liquid. I often use 10 lbs per gallon as an estimate as it will always get you close.  

Question of the Week

What is this cool-season weed that is turning fallow fields purple right now?

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