SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – November 28, 2022

Zack Snipes

Zack Snipes

Rob Last reports, “Strawberry crops continue to develop well with minimal pest and disease pressure so far. Fall vegetables are progressing towards the market. We continue to see pest pressure from caterpillars, and a few isolated aphids have been spotted during scouting. As we progress towards the holiday season, scouting of crops remains of vital importance to catch insect infestation and disease progression early for treatments to be effective.”

Zack Snipes reports, “After a long Thanksgiving nap, I was able to waddle out in the fields and look at some strawberries. We have had some really good strawberry growing weather especially considering most folks got their plants out somewhat late this year. We need some cold weather to slow them down a bit in places. I have seen a tiny bit of plant collapse and death in some spots within the fields. It is very important to send these plants into our lab to get a positive identification of the pathogen. Phytophthora crown rot and anthracnose crown rot can cause similar symptoms but are managed differently. For information on how to submit a sample during COVID times, click here. I am also keeping my eye on a good bit of leaf spotting in some fields to make sure it’s not the new disease, Neopestalotiopsis. I don’t think we have it yet, but being proactive is better than being reactive. More information on that disease can be found here.”

Zack Snipes reports, “It feels like winter showed up this past week with cold, windy, gloomy days. Most, if not all of our strawberries have been planted. With the cool weather showing up and our later planting dates this year, some growers are opting to use lightweight row covers to push their plants along a little bit. A few things to remember if you opt to do this: use lightweight row covers, make sure all disease and insect issues are taken care of before putting the row covers on, and only leave them on for a few weeks. We want to encourage some growth of our plants, but we don’t want our plants getting too big and succulent going into the winter. I visited several farms this week with poor-quality fruit trees. A common thread between these plantings is planting depth. In our sandy soils, plants will sink over time, so as Phillip Carnley says, “plant them proud,” which means plant them higher than you think they should be planted. Over time, the plants will settle into the correct depth. Pecans, blueberries, and other crops will not grow roots from their trunks, so over time, the plant will rot, and pathogens will get into the plant when they are buried too deep.”

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Rob Last reports, “In our area, pest and disease pressure have reduced in response to cooler dryer conditions. Keep an eye on soil moisture and continue to regularly scout crops.”

Rob Last reports, “Crops are continuing to develop well with few insect or disease problems. The disease pressure may increase given the welcome rainfall forecast today. Please remember to scout regularly and thoroughly. Problems caught early are easier to manage.”

Rob Last reports, “Pest and disease issues in the area remain very low; however, as temperatures rise, we expect activity to increase.  Although it is quiet, it is still essential to continue to scout. Assessment of crops indicates that we have escaped the worst of any chill injury or loss of plants. Pruning of fruit crops continues while dormancy holds and labor begins to return to the area.”

Rob Last reports, “Strawberries in the area look good, with some new leaf development emerging from the crown. Boron applications are being applied, either as a foliar application or through the drip system. Remember, we are looking to apply 1/8 lb. of boron per acre. Over application of boron can be phytotoxic and detrimental to the plants. Plans are also being made to begin fertigation applications later this month to aim for the first pick in early April. The initial target is to apply 5.25 lbs. N per acre. After the first application, a tissue test should be taken to refine fertility recommendations further. Please also remember we have the drip fertigation calculator to make the calculations more straightforward. Brassica transplants are going in the ground this week and are looking good. The pruning of peaches and perennial fruit is pretty much complete, and we await the arrival of spring.”

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 tied are wind-whipped, and the ones that are tied have callus tissue forming where the string is touching them. We have some beautiful lettuce and greens coming in right now, along with spring onions.  I have also seen some squash coming in on farms that grew squash in high tunnels.  Strawberry plants are still small and have very few blooms for this time of year.  We are harvesting highbush blueberries in high volumes right now.  I think we escaped more cold damage than previously expected.”

Zack Snipes reports, “It seems like everything is coming in from the fields right now. We got some rain but could really use some more. I am seeing lots of aphids on a variety of crops (melons, cukes, eggplant). I am also seeing ladybird beetles and parasitized aphids in these fields, which means our predators are out there working for us. Bacterial wilt and Southern blight are starting to appear on tomatoes as well. Knowing the difference and preparing for next season’s crop is critical. It is getting hot and is still windy, so growers might consider adding one or more irrigation cycles to their fields. Remember that in our sandy soils, any irrigation event over an hour is just wasting water. More frequent 30-45 minute cycles are more efficient.”