Tag: Strawberries
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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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Strawberries Showing Signs of Gray Mold After the Freezing Temperatures
Lindsey Thiessen and Guido Schnabel South Carolina is warming up following several bouts of freezing temperatures. Many used frost-protection covers to keep fruit crowns from freezing. To add some additional stress following the freezing temperatures, growers are reporting significant gray mold presence after frost protection covers have been removed. Gray mold is caused by a…
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Question of the Week – Botrytis
What is the greyish-brown, fuzzy stuff on this dead strawberry blossom? This this fuzzy-looking growth is grey mold caused by Botrytis cinerea. Grey mold is one of our most serious fruit rot diseases of strawberries that we see every single year in every single field. In addition to developing on fruit, grey mold can develop…
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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…
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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…
The South Carolina Grower 