Coastal

Zack Snipes

We have had a good bit of rain and some cooler temperatures this past week.  I have noticed damage to strawberries in fields with no fencing that will cause significant yield loss this spring. I have also noticed areas in fields where deer are going under fencing. Be sure to scout your fields and take note of where deer might be entering in your field and make necessary adjustments.  In one particular case the outside fence was slightly higher in one area which allowed the deer to walk under.  I found one field where the fence was not plugged back in after workers exited.  Be sure your fencing is on all the time.

Deer found the high spot in the fence and are beginning to travel under.

Pee Dee

Tony Melton

Sweet potato tops are dead but we are still harvesting for processing.  Greens were damaged a small amount from the cold last week.  We saw a little worse damage in upper Chesterfield and in Lancaster County than in other areas.

Upstate

Andy Rollins

Close inspection of young peach trees in this case revealed two problems.  Greater peach tree borer GPTB and scale.  If growers are seeing this jelly at the base of there trees they need to inspect further many times it is GPTB but not always.  This problem can be treated with mating disruption using PTB duel.  Young trees need to be trunk  treated with chlorpyrifos “Lorsban”.  Scale problem is the white looking dots along the trunk.  Dormant oil applications should help with reducing this problem but shouldn’t be overlooked.  Keep inspecting closely.

Jelly coming from the base of peach trees could indicate Greater peach tree borer (GPTB) presence.  Note the scale (white dots) on the trunk.

Peach orchard in Upstate SC