Author: Justin Ballew
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Weekly Field Update – 11/4/24
The weather remains dry with no real relief in sight. Strawberry planting has finished up and the condition of plantings is mixed. Disease levels are low from the dry weather, while insect levels are variable. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab periodically so you don’t miss anything. Also, check out…
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Question of the Week – Joro Spider
What kind of large, colorful spider is this? This is the invasive joro spider (Trichonephila clavata). Joro spiders are native to East Asia and were first found in Northern Georgia in 2014. Since then, they have been spreading across the Southeast and are common in the Upstate of South Carolina and making their way into…
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Weekly Field Update – 10/28/24
Conditions remain dry across the state requiring lots of irrigation for fall crops. Strawberry planting is winding down as the last few plant shipments arrive. Insect and disease issues are variable across the state. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab periodically so you don’t miss anything. Also, check out the…
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Question of the Week – Sandblasting
Why does this tomato appear scarred on one side but normal on the other? This tomato is scarred on the side facing the prevailing winds. It was found on the outside row, next to a dirt drive row and an open field. It had also not rained in quite a while, so it was very dusty and…
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Weekly Field Update – 10/21/24
Fall weather has arrived and strawberry planting is in full swing. Conditions have been dry across the state since Hurricane Helene. Diseases and insects are showing up in places as the fall growing season progresses. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab periodically so you don’t miss anything. Also, check out…
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Preparing for Your Tax Preparer
By Kevin Burkett, Extension Agribusiness Associate This time of year is busy as summer comes to a close, children have returned to school, harvest is in full swing, and we anticipate busy days in the fall and winter months. Another item for your to-do list is meeting with your tax professional. This appointment is often…
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Question of the Week – Tachinid Fly Eggs
What is on the head and back of this leaffooted bug? The oblong, white objects on this leaffooted bug (Leptoglossus oppositus) are eggs of a parasitoid fly (Trichopoda pennipes), which will hatch and consume the leaffooted bug. Usually when we discuss parasitoids in pest management we are referring to small wasps, but flies in the…
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And So It Begins…Neopest is Starting to Show Up.
By Guido Schnabel It is early October 2024 and as feared and expected, we are starting to see Neopestalotiopsis symptoms in strawberry fields. The leaf in Fig. 1 (left) displays leaf necrosis and was collected from a South Carolina farm October 4, 2024. Necrosis on leaves can be caused by many things, but if you…
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Weekly Field Update – 10/14/24
As cleanup from Hurricane Helene continues in the western parts of the state, crops are looking great elsewhere. Strawberries transplants are arriving on farms and planting has begun in many places. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab periodically so you don’t miss anything. Also, check out the latest episode of…
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Question of the Week – Southern Blight
What are these brown pellets found on the base of a tomato plant? These brown pellets are sclerotia from the soil-borne fungus Athelia rolsii, commonly called Southern blight. The photograph was taken from a tomato plant displaying wilting with a good fruit loading. Sclerotia are survival structures that allow the fungus to survive in the…
The South Carolina Grower 