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From The Ground Up

Weekly vegetable update 8/3/22

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu This week's update includes a review of melon ripeness, talking to customers about blemished and otherwise ugly produce, some new insects to keep an eye on, some old insects that just keep persisting, and some notes about prioritizing...

Giant pumpkin project update Aug. 4

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu A large squash vine borer larva found in a secondary vine Week of July 25 The week began with frustrating news — we found several squash vine borer larvae entry points on the main pumpkin vine. We were able to spot these entry...

Weekly Fruit Update - July 27, 2022

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu This week's update includes apple pest management, grape veraison, raspberry and blueberry harvest seasons, and day neutral strawberry troubleshooting. First, are we in a drought again? Many areas of Minnesota are getting a welcome...

Weekly Vegetable Update 7/27/22

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu This week has brought some welcome respite from the heat and humidity, but drought conditions have persisted across much of the state. Crops seem to be responding well to the lower temperatures this week, with a few exciting new crops...

Giant pumpkin project update July 26

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Hand pollinating the northern pumpkin Week of July 11 With the giant pumpkins beginning to flower, we began to hand pollinate female flowers. Although the pollinators do a great job, we wanted to make sure that the flowers in the best...

As tomato fruit sets, leaf spots follow

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Early blight attacks the oldest leaves first Despite how dry much of the state is, we are still starting to see some common tomato diseases creeping in on Minnesota tomatoes. Seeing yellowing and spots appearing on the older leaves?...

Weekly Fruit Update - June 21, 2022

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Photo: A strawberry field after harvest and before renovation This update discusses: how climate change is impacting berry production; mid-season apple pests; and last call for grape nitrogen applications. Strawberry renovation was...

Weekly vegetable update 7/20/22

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu The main story this week is the heat. Keeping yourself and workers safe can be challenging during intense heatwaves, and plants are struggling to keep up. We also experienced the first wildfire smoke related air quality effects this season...

Attack of the zombie flies? More like flies being attacked by fungus.

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu No matter where extension educators have been traveling this summer, they have noticed dead flies stuck to stuff. Dead flies stuck to flowers and garlic scapes and asparagus spears and the sides of buildings. What is going on? Dead fly...

Zebra caterpillars: colorful and clustered on Minnesota farms

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Growers are reporting large, colorful caterpillars hanging out in groups on assorted crops. They are most often being seen brassica crops, though they have been spotted feeding on strawberries and tomatoes. Large and colorful, zebra...