Horticulture Field Day August 8
An upcoming field day highlights fruit and vegetable production research at Iowa State University's Horticulture Research Station.
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Crops
Sweet Alyssum to Attract Beneficials
Sweet Alyssum is grown not only for the draw of its flowers in hanging pots and as a carpeting plant but also for its ability to attract beneficial insects in the field such as ladybugs and hoverfly.
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The Current Cucurbit
The main focus of our three-state (Iowa, Kentucky, and New York), three-year (2020-2022) project is on finding better ways to manage diseases, insect pests, and weeds in organic systems, and getting that information to growers. Our funding comes from USDA’s Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI).
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Beat the Summer Heat; Protecting your Vegetable Crops in Excessive Heat
Multiple days of excessive heat can be hard on vegetable crops, especially ones known to be cool-season. Brassicas, lettuce, carrots and spinach are particularly vulnerable to bitterness, wilting, bolting, deformities and coloring that affect the quality of the produce.
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Managing Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes and Peppers
Many commercial growers and home gardeners often confront the issue of Blossom End Rot (BER) in their tomato, pepper, and eggplant. The BER is a physiological disorder caused by a localized calcium deficiency in the blossom-end of the fruit. It is a physiological disorder and is not caused by fungi, bacteria, or any other living disease microorganisms. Also, BER could also be seen on non-solanaceous crops such as pumpkins, squash, and watermelons.
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Storm Damage to Vegetable Crops: Now What?
On Monday 10 August, 2020 a devastating storm ripped past Iowa. It was unexpected and was a mighty one.Given that we are getting close to the end of the growing season does not mean that we pay less attention to plants that survived the storm. These plants are still actively growing and if properly managed could produce meaningful marketable produce.
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Understanding and Managing Striped Cucumber Beetle
The striped cucumber beetle is a common pest of cucurbit crops in the Midwest. The spotted cucumber beetle, also known as the southern corn rootworm, is also a pest of cucurbit crops, but the striped cucumber beetle has more economic impact due to its ability to transmit bacterial wilt.
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Flooding in Vegetable Fields
With respect to vegetable crops, recent flooding in western Iowa has created a tough situation for growers. Given the time of the year of this catastrophic event, there were no vegetable crops standing in the field, however, water/runoff from surface waters such as rivers, lakes, or steams could have overflowed and run into fields. This water most likely could contain chemical and biological contaminants that may be harmful to the health of humans and animals.
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2018 Season Wrap-up
The 2018 season has ended and I wanted to share a few frequently asked questions, problems, concerns, and trends that I am seeing. Rather than waiting until next year to address these issues, it seems easier to do so while the year is still fresh in our minds.
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Don't Let your Guard Down: Fall Insect Pests of Cole Crops
As the season winds down for summer crops (sweet corn, pepper, tomato, etc.) we should not let our guard down on fall crops such as broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprout, kale, etc. These crops are on still actively growing and need attention when it comes to pest management.
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