Author: Justin Ballew
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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…
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Hold Off on Second White Mold Sprays in South Carolina
From Tony Keinath, Clemson Extension Plant Pathologist Last week, I advised South Carolina brassica growers to spray brassica crops to protect them from white mold, based on symptoms seen on kale and stock, a brassica winter annual, in Charleston. The initial symptoms were triggered by the cold temperatures of Dec. 16 and 17 that completed…
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Weekly Field Update – 1/26/26
Sunday (1/25) brought a mixture of rain, snow, and ice to a large portion of the state. Cold weather is in store for the entirety of this week. Lots of strawberries are covered and blueberry growers are running overhead frost protection on early varieties. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab…
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Considerations for Upcoming Winter Weather
From Justin Ballew, Andy Rollins, and Zack Snipes Recent cold weather reached temperatures low enough to damage strawberry plants in some parts of the state. On 1/16, we saw temperatures as low as 20 degrees (F) in the Midlands and 14 degrees (F) in the Upstate. Dormant strawberry crowns begin to experience cold damage around…
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Question of the Week – Spanish Moss
What year did the Spanish introduce Spanish moss to North America? This week’s question was a trick, as Spanish moss is neither Spanish nor a moss. Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is a flowering epiphyte (a plant that grows on another plant, but is not parasitic) that is native to the Southeastern US and parts of…
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Weekly Field Update – 1/20/26
Welcome back to the SC Grower! This is our first update of 2026, and we’re looking forward to a great year. After some warm weather, temperatures will be cooler for the next week. Strawberries are developing well with various insect and disease issues around. Continue to scout regularly even though we’re in the middle of…
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Spray Strategies for Strawberry Disease Control in South Carolina
Guido Schnabel, Extension Plant Pathologist Disease management is essential for growing high-quality strawberries in plasticulture. While Botrytis fruit rot (BFR) is a disease you can expect every year, Anthracnose fruit rot (AFR) and the more recently introduced Neopestalotiopsis fruit and crown rot (Neo-P) may or may not appear (Fig. 1). This largely depends on how…
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Question of the Week – Yellowmargined Leaf Beetle
What is this critter hanging out on sweet alyssum? This is an adult yellowmargined leaf beetle (YMLB), which is well-known (notorious?) to many of our smaller and low-input brassica farmers, as it is very difficult to manage without conventional insecticides. It is a specialist herbivore of plants in the Brassicacea family and is a key…
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