Author: Justin Ballew
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Weekly Field Update – 2/20/23
We have lots of fruit and vegetable meetings coming up over the next couple of months, so check out the Upcoming Events tab for the complete lineup. This week, we have the upstate strawberry meeting in Gaffney on Thursday (2/23) at 5:30 pm. Don’t forget to look at our Resources tab for links to crop…
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Question of the Week – Yellowmargin Leaf Beetle and Vegetable Weevil
This week, the question was: What has been feeding on this neglected Napa cabbage? This Napa cabbage is being fed on by larvae of both the yellow margined leaf beetle (YMLB, Microtheca ochroloma) and vegetable weevil (Listroderes difficilis). YMLB can be a significant pest for organic production, especially turnips and Napa cabbage, which they prefer.…
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Pythium Damping-Off of Seedless and Pollenizer Watermelons
From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath. Stand loss in transplanted spring seedless watermelons is usually not a serious issue in South Carolina, due to relatively sandy soils in the major production areas. Two pathogens that can cause post-transplanting damping-off and plant death are the fungus Fusarium and the water mold Pythium. Fusarium can kill seedlings…
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Weekly Field Update – 2/13/23
We have lots of fruit and vegetable meetings coming up over the next couple of months, so check out the Upcoming Events tab for the complete lineup. This week, we have a Drip Irrigation Workshop on 2/17 at the Edisto REC. Don’t forget to look at our Resources tab for links to crop handbooks, helpful…
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Question of the Week – Bad Chickens
This week, the question was: What happened to this poor collard plant? I routinely scout the collards in my yard for insect pests and enjoy watching wasps parasitize worms and aphids. I walked out the other day and thought the wasps must be taking a break from parasitizing because I have serious damage. Upon further…
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Black Rot Review: How to Manage this Disease on Brassica Crops
From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath. Black rot is the most common disease caused by bacteria on brassica crops. It was widespread in the Lowcountry in fall 2022, so it’s time for a review of this serious disease. Recognizing Black Rot Most often, black rot starts at the edges of the older leaves on brassicas.…
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Weekly Field Update – 2/6/23
We have lots of fruit and vegetable meetings over the next couple of months, so check out the Upcoming Events tab for the complete lineup. This week, we have the Ridge Peach Meeting on 2/9 in Edgefield and The Back to Basics of Vegetable Production webinar on 2/9. Don’t forget to look at our Resources…
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Question of the Week – Phytophthora Crown Rot
This week, the question was: What has caused the dark brown discoloration in the crown of this strawberry plant? This dark reddish/brown discoloration in the crown is a typical symptom of Phytophthora crown rot. The first observable signs of this disease include wilting and browning of the leaves in the field. Phytophthora is most serious…
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Weekly Field Update – 1/30/23
We have lots of fruit and vegetable meetings over the next couple of months, so check out the Upcoming Events tab for the complete lineup. This week, we have the Coastal Preplant Vegetable Production Meeting on 2/1 in Charleston and a Small Fruit Production Meeting on 2/2 in Columbia. Be sure to scroll all the…
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Question of the Week – Sunlight Exposure
This week, the question was: What has caused parts of this cauliflower head to purple? This cauliflower has some purpling/reddening caused by exposure to sunlight. It is important to have enough healthy leaves on the plant to cover the head as it develops. If for any reason the leaves do not cover the head (poor…
The South Carolina Grower 