Author: Justin Ballew
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Weekly Field Update – 5/1/23
Check out upcoming meetings on the Upcoming Events tab, and don’t forget to look at our Resources tab for links to crop handbooks, helpful websites, and related blogs. Also, check out the latest episode of the SC Grower Exchange Podcast. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question…
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Question of the Week – Curly Dock
This week, the question was: What is this weed growing up in the row middles of this strawberry field? This is curly dock (Rumex crispus). Curly dock is a perennial weed that thrives in wet conditions but is also quite tolerant of drought. It is commonly found in the row middles in strawberry fields, especially…
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Weekly Field Update – 4/24/23
Check out upcoming meetings on the Upcoming Events tab, and don’t forget to look at our Resources tab for links to crop handbooks, helpful websites, and related blogs. Also, check out the latest episode of the SC Grower Exchange Podcast. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question…
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Question of the Week – Phytophthora Crown Rot
This week, the question was: What caused the dark brown discoloration in this strawberry crown? This discoloration is a common symptom of Phytophthora crown rot. Wet conditions favor this disease; therefore, we tend to see it develop after periods of increased rainfall, especially in low areas in the field. The first symptom we notice is…
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Weekly Field Update – 4/17/23
Check out upcoming meetings on the Upcoming Events tab, and don’t forget to look at our Resources tab for links to crop handbooks, helpful websites, and related blogs. Also, check out the latest episode of the SC Grower Exchange Podcast. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question…
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Question of the Week – Parasitoid Wasp
This week, the question was: What happened to this aphid? This aphid has been parasitized by a tiny parasitoid wasp. Parasitoid wasps lay eggs in a host, like this aphid. As the egg hatches and the larva develops, it causes the aphid to swell, making it appear bloated. When the larva matures, it bores out…
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2022 Strawberry Season Stats
In the Fall of 2022, Extension Agents throughout South Carolina surveyed growers on specialty crop acreage for the year. This was the first year of what is expected to be an annual survey. For this first year, data was collected for six crops: collard greens, lima beans, peaches, strawberries, sweet corn, and watermelon. The goal…
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Weekly Field Update – 4/10/23
Coming up this week, we have a couple more Pesticide Collection Events hosted by the SCDA. This is a great opportunity to get rid of any old unwanted pesticides you have lying around the shed. Check out other upcoming meetings on the Upcoming Events tab. Don’t forget to look at our Resources tab for links…
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Question of the Week – Stinkhorns
This week, the question was: What is this specialty crop that Zack is growing in Charleston? If you knelt down and gave this mushroom a sniff, I can promise you would not take a bite out of it. This mushroom belongs to a group known as stinkhorns. They get their name from the terrible (to…
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Bacterial Spot on Tomato: Are the Cures as Bad as the Disease?
From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath and Extension Agent Zack Snipes. Now that tomatoes are in the ground in coastal South Carolina, it’s time to think about a tomato spray program for a disease that shows up every year: bacterial spot. Current recommendations are based on a tank mix of copper + mancozeb. The comments…
The South Carolina Grower 