Tag: row covers
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Weekly Field Update – 3/9/26
Warm weather and rain will have crops growing quickly this week. This is also a recipe for disease development. As strawberries, blueberries, and other small fruits progress, stay on top of disease management and scout closely. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab periodically so you don’t miss any of our…
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Question of the Week – Cold
What caused the darkened (black-looking) patches on these strawberry leaves? This darkening occurred where the row covers were contacting the leaves during a cold event. While plants throughout the field sustained minor foliar burns from the cold, the row covers successfully protected the crowns. The new growth looks fine, and the plants will quickly grow…
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Weekly Field Update – 3/2/26
After some rain and warm weather, crops will begin moving quickly this week. Now is a good time for strawberry tissue sampling and disease resistance screening. With more rain in the forecast, make sure you’re staying on top of disease control programs. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab periodically so…
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Weekly Field Update – 2/23/26
After a taste of spring weather, the week is off to a cold start. Many growers have begun spring fertilization in strawberries and will begin protecting flowers and fruit from the cold. We are seeing an increase in insect and disease pressure around the state. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events…
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Weekly Field Update – 2/16/26
After some welcomed rain over the weekend, temperatures are warming up for the week. Strawberry growers are beginning to inject fertilizer in preparation for bloom. Spider mites are showing up in many places and are likely to increase in the coming warm weather. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab periodically…
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Weekly Field Update – 2/9/26
The weather is finally warming up a bit. Strawberry growers are pulling off row covers, sanitizing fields, and beginning to think about injecting fertilizer. Peach growers are bedding fields and planting new trees. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab periodically so you don’t miss any of our winter/spring meetings. Also,…
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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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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…
The South Carolina Grower 