Weekly Field Update – 10/20/25

Strawberry planting is still going full steam ahead in some areas while it winds down in others. Fall greens are looking good with some caterpillars present in places. Keep an eye out for disease with the cool mornings and heavy dew. See details below.

For anyone growing or thinking about growing sweetpotatoes, please take this short survey to help us determine interest in a statewide sweetpotato production meeting.

As we get into strawberry season, check out this year’s Strawberry Webinar Series to brush up on disease management, bed formation, and insect management. SC pesticide applicators can earn 1.5 pesticide credists. The webinar is available now through 11/15. View Details and Register Here

Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab periodically so you don’t miss any of our winter/spring meetings. 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.

Midlands

Sarah Scott

• Continuously warm daytime temperatures are keeping crops like tomatoes, hot peppers, and some squash producing. We are starting to slow down on harvesting as night temperatures start to dip, so enjoy these summertime staples while you still can.
• Fall crops like broccoli and greens are progressing nicely. Some heavier aphid populations showed up last week, but growers should be able to knock those down pretty quickly.
• Land prep for winter peach planting is ongoing. Older trees are pushed up and burned in piles and fields are plowed and raked clean.

Pee Dee

Brittney King

• Crops are progressing well here in the Pee Dee, especially with the cooler temps we have had throughout last week. We thankfully got a break from the severely dry weather with some good rain last weekend.
• Strawberries were planted last week in the Pee Dee. So far everything looks good. Most growers did a pre-plant dip, and I did not see many plants that came in with noticeable disease symptoms. However, I still sent plants to the lab to test for any disease. Winter strawberries have already begun with harvest. The main issue I am seeing right now in winter berries is phytophthora root rot. Because of the drier weather, it will be important to scout for spider mites and keep those populations down as we get into winter and start to use row covers.
• Leafy greens like mustard, collards, kale, broccoli, and turnip greens are being harvested or will be ready to harvest in the next week or so. No real issues here except for diamondback moth and cabbage looper. Again, the rain last weekend really helped crop development.
• U-pick pumpkins and cut flowers are in full swing here. The biggest issue I am seeing in pumpkins this year is cucumber beetles and viruses. There are many cucurbit viruses that can be transmitted to your crop by aphids, so it is very important to know if you have these insects in your field.

Upstate

Samantha Brown

• We had slow and steady rainfall on Sunday morning, which brought in some cooler temperatures that look to stay around awhile. Be sure to look over your crops for pests and diseases.
• Our strawberry growers have been working diligently to get plastic laid and strawberries in the ground.
• Cabbage looper damage has been observed on some fall brassicas. Rotating your modes of action will help eliminate these pests.
• Muscadines are starting to slow down, but it has been a fruitful crop this year.

Question of the Week

What is this uncommon crop growing in the Midlands?

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