Author: Justin Ballew
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Cucurbit Downy Mildew Fungicide Trial Report for Fall 2024: Part 1, Pickling Cucumber
From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath In fall 2024, fungicide programs were tested on ‘Gershwin’ pickling cucumber to find out which programs worked best. Eight fungicide programs (plus a non-sprayed control) were used with various combinations of chlorothalonil (Bravo), Ranman, and Orondis Opti (Orondis + Bravo pre-mix). Cucurbit downy mildew (CDM) symptoms were noticed on…
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Question of the Week – Pawpaw
What tree makes this unusual-looking flower? This is the flower of the Hoosier banana. Not familiar with the Hoosier banana? Well, you may be more familiar with the pawpaw. The pawpaw is one of my favorite trees for several reasons. First, it is the largest native fruit to North America and a must have for any gardener…
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Weekly Field Update – 3/31/25
Spring is off to a warm start. The weather has been dry, but we finally have some rain in the forecast. Strawberry picking is beginning in parts of the state. So far disease has been low, but spider mites are present in places. Other crops are growing well. See details below. Clemson Extension is working…
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Question of the Week – Chinese Mantid Ootheca
What is this thing that looks like a piece of foam stuck to a blueberry cane? This is the ootheca, or egg mass, of the Chinese mantid (Tenodera aridifolia). Chinese mantids are nonnative predatory insects that much larger than the native Carolina mantid. Mantids are generalist predators that will prey on just about any insect…
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Field Scouting and Identification of Diseases on Cucurbits in South Carolina
From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath For anyone who missed the Preplant Cucurbit Meeting on Feb. 7, 2025, at the Edisto Research and Education Center, here is a recap of the main points on scouting fields for cucurbit diseases. Table 1 shows which diseases are most likely to show up on different crops. Use this…
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Weekly Field Update – 3/24/25
Though we had some cool nights, we saw beautiful spring weather last week. Strawberry picking is just beginning in places. Peach bloom has peaked and we are entering shuck split in some varieties. We have been dry and windy, so keep a close eye out for spider mites. See details below. Clemson Extension is working…
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Question of the Week – Spinach
What are these seedlings that are just beginning to emerge from the ground? These are spinach seedlings. This spinach was direct seeded into growing beds. We see in the photo the cotyledons popping up through the holes in the plastic mulch in, what appears, to be a healthy stand with good germination. Spinach germinates in…
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Weekly Field Update – 3/17/25
Spring officially begins this week, though spring weather has been here for a little while now. Strawberries have really jumped in the last week and a few folks have had a chance to taste some. Peaches are in bloom and spring crops are starting to go into the ground. See details below. Clemson Extension is…
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March Grower Spotlight – Bush-N-Vine
Where has Andy been this week? In this month’s grower spotlight, Andy is visiting Bush-N-Vine Farm in York, SC. This is an innovative diversified farm, owned and operated by Bob Hall, that began growing truck crops and grew into a thriving business. They have multiple retail outlets and a growing CSA program. Bush-N-Vine grows peaches, strawberries,…
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Weekly Field Update – 3/10/25
As the weather warms, strawberry crops are progressing rapidly across the state. Growers are beginning disease control programs and scouting for mites. Spring veggies are starting to go in to the ground along the coast. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab periodically so you don’t miss any of our winter/spring…
The South Carolina Grower 