Author: Justin Ballew
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Weekly Field Update – 2/23/26
After a taste of spring weather, the week is off to a cold start. Many growers have begun spring fertilization in strawberries and will begin protecting flowers and fruit from the cold. We are seeing an increase in insect and disease pressure around the state. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events…
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Strawberries Showing Signs of Gray Mold After the Freezing Temperatures
Lindsey Thiessen and Guido Schnabel South Carolina is warming up following several bouts of freezing temperatures. Many used frost-protection covers to keep fruit crowns from freezing. To add some additional stress following the freezing temperatures, growers are reporting significant gray mold presence after frost protection covers have been removed. Gray mold is caused by a…
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Question of the Week – Botrytis
What is the greyish-brown, fuzzy stuff on this dead strawberry blossom? This this fuzzy-looking growth is grey mold caused by Botrytis cinerea. Grey mold is one of our most serious fruit rot diseases of strawberries that we see every single year in every single field. In addition to developing on fruit, grey mold can develop…
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Weekly Field Update – 2/16/26
After some welcomed rain over the weekend, temperatures are warming up for the week. Strawberry growers are beginning to inject fertilizer in preparation for bloom. Spider mites are showing up in many places and are likely to increase in the coming warm weather. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab periodically…
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February Grower Spotlight – Hickory Bluff Berry Farm
Where is Zack visiting this week? Zack is visiting Hickory Bluff Berry Farm located just outside of Holly Hill, SC, in Berkeley County. Hickory Bluff is owned and operated by Michael and Karen Parker. The farm offers a wide range of produce throughout the growing season, though as you might guess, their specialty is berries. They…
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Weekly Field Update – 2/9/26
The weather is finally warming up a bit. Strawberry growers are pulling off row covers, sanitizing fields, and beginning to think about injecting fertilizer. Peach growers are bedding fields and planting new trees. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab periodically so you don’t miss any of our winter/spring meetings. Also,…
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Question of the Week – Parasitism
What is happening to this polyphemus moth cocoon? Unfortunately, I’ll not be rewarded with a large, beautiful Polyphemus moth this spring, as this caterpillar was parasitized by a Tachinid fly. Most of the time, when you hear about caterpillars being parasitized it is by small parasitoid wasps. Tachinidae is a diverse family of parasitic flies that…
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Weekly Field Update – 2/3/26
After a second weekend in a row of winter weather, the forecast shows a warming trend. Snowfall of 1 to 7 inches was reported around the state, and temperatures were well into the teens for multiple nights. As temperatures warm up and row covers are removed, damage assessment will begin. See details below. Keep an…
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Strawberry Row Covers, Spider Mites, and Predatory Mites
Tom Bilbo, Extension Entomologist “How are row covers affecting my spider mite pest problems?” There is a short and easy answer to this question: we don’t really know. I will be submitting a research grant proposal to tackle this problem and if you are interested in lending your support please read until the end on…
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Question of the Week – Goumi Berry
What kind of fruit is this? This unusual fruit is a goumi berry (Elaeagnus multiflora). Goumi berries are native to Asia and have a sweet and somewhat tart flavor that has been compared to rhubarb. The berries are harvested in the summer and are best used fresh, as they are fairly soft and do not…
The South Carolina Grower 