By Clint Thompson There are ways to control nutsedge during the upcoming fallow period. Cover crops are not an effective solution, however. Nathan Boyd, University of Florida (UF) associate center director and associate professor of horticulture/weed science at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, discusses why cover crops are not recommended to manage nutsedge, which can grow up to …
Statistically Speaking: Various Factors Contribute to Surge in Input Expenses
By Clint Thompson Various factors have contributed to the increase in costs for fertilizer and other energy-based inputs. A surge in post-pandemic demand combined with transportation delays, low crude oil inventories and the current Russia-Ukraine conflict are the main reasons, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service. Nitrogen fertilizer is up 110% from …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Weekly Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide crop updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Some welcome rainfall last week will help establish cucumbers and watermelon. Cucumber beetles are present in a large number of fields at present. While this is the first flux of the …
Irrigation Showcase: UGA-Griffin Breaks Ground on Site
By Ashley N Biles for CAES News Industry professionals, homeowners and researchers will soon get a firsthand look at new irrigation technologies in action at a demonstration irrigation site being constructed on the University of Georgia’s Griffin campus. On March 28, workers broke ground on the project, which is a collaboration between the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture, UGA Cooperative …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Weekly Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Weekly Field Update – 4/18/22 Coastal Region Zack Snipes reports, “It has been a very windy spring. The winds are drying out our soils and beating up plants. I have looked at some tomatoes, and the ones that aren’t …
Input Availability a Growing Concern for Specialty Crop Producers
By Clint Thompson Planning for future crops means preparing now for some specialty crop producers. In an era when supply availability is uncertain, growers need to consider the ramifications of delaying supply purchases that will be needed in the future. They may not be able to purchase the supplies at all. Farmers like Greg Collier are not just vying for …
Jeb Smith Takes the Reins at Florida Farm Bureau
By Frank Giles Jeb Smith’s agricultural roots run deep in Florida. He is a fifth-generation farmer born and raised in St. Johns County. He lives on the same property his great, great grandfather farmed in Hastings, Florida. The farm was designated a Century Pioneer Family Farm by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) in March of this …
UF/IFAS to Host Annual Farm Safety Day
The 31st annual Southwest Florida Farm Safety Day is scheduled for Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7 at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee, Florida. The educational event is designed to emphasize the importance of farm and equipment safety. The deadline for registration is Friday, April 22. …
Sneak Peek: April 2022 Specialty Crop Industry Magazine
By Clint Thompson The April issue of Specialty Crop Industry Magazine highlights watermelon production. It looks at the current trends and the future of anthracnose disease while also spotlighting new viruses to watch for in watermelons and other cucurbit crops. Severe anthracnose outbreaks have occurred in cucurbit-growing counties along the East coast, including in Florida and Georgia. University of Georgia …
Keeping You Informed: Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “The first of this season’s strawberries are coming to market with good quality. Growers still need to be very mindful that spider mites populations are around in the area but are variable. …