July 1, 2022
Compiled by Vern Grubinger, University of Vermont Extension
https://www.uvm.edu/extension/horticulture/commercial
(802) 257-7967 ext. 303, vernon.grubinger@uvm.edu
REPORTS FROM THE FIELD
(Guildhall) It’s a late year for all our crops, including potatoes. On June 8 we finished planting 47 acres of spuds this year, 5 acres short of last year, but we ran short of seed. Our planter is running so nice it laid down 2300# to the acre instead of the 2k# we plan on. The percentage of golds we planted this year is higher than ever before. Put out 35 acres instead of 16. Whites got cut out. Because we rotate with a dairy farm, I can never get the soil pH low enough to grow a white potato that’s competitive with Maine spuds. Potatoes are growing good, all at first hilling now. It's been dry but not an emergency yet. Planted 3 acres of Jack o’ lanterns instead of our usual 5. If the cost of fuel stays high until fall it’ll have a major effect on the price shipping of a bin of pumpkins. They are too cheap to begin with, last year a bin was $190 delivered.
(E. Wallingford) Not much insect or disease activity here. Mostly dealing with weeds! Had to replant some pumpkins, winter squash and sunflowers because turkeys ate the seed. Could use some more rain and heat.
(Westminster West) We do well in dry years here with mostly transplants on plastic mulch with drip. Just removed row covers from 2 acres of winter squash. They look fine, some fruit already set. Cantaloupe and watermelon look awesome coming out from row covers. Just started picking tunnel tomatoes in time for weekend farmers’ market. Have been cutting tunnel celery for two weeks now, excellent quality and quite popular. Trialing several varieties for yield and flavor. Just picked first tunnel raspberries, taste great! Garlic crop looks excellent with big bulbs this year, hard to beat Music.
(Hinesburg) Crops vigorous and healthy. The mix of rain and sun has been pretty good here. Sales are steady. Great crew. Potato beetles worst ever. Deer are more and more of a problem.
(Newfane) Strawberry crop is early. Production is below average due to a low-snow winter. Raspberries are early and yield is good. We are very dry here. Irrigation is very necessary. We are struggling to get our work done.
(Elmore) Very hot and dry. All plants in pots and in high tunnels are thirsty and demanding more and better water systems from us growers. Larger blueberry, gooseberry, and currant crops than last few years. Good new growth on fruit trees and berry plants, but huge amount of dieback from winter conditions causing secondary fungal infections that hurt the trees.
Some of our best plum trees just died or half died. A March freeze/thaw is blamed; temps were not so low, but snow cover was less than usual. Best strategy we see is to continue to plant only the hardiest varieties to make it through unusual winters and new summer heatwaves. Also focusing on maintaining water all season and keeping plants well fed and well mulched.
(Westminster) The great growing weather is still holding. It’s a little dry. We’ve been doing some irrigating but there’s still a fair amount of moisture in the soil. Dry weather has helped keep disease and insects at bay. We saw flea beetle problems early, but they seem to have moved on, so our brassicas look very good. We started cutting chard – red, green, and rainbow– and will soon be harvesting red and green cabbage and bunched beets. Sweet corn should be ready for harvest on July 12, give or take a day or two. Strawberries are done for the year. We had good yields, and PYO continues to be popular, even with a price increase. Blueberries are showing a good crop. Sales have been steady, although we could use more outlets.
MONITOR AVAILABLE NITROGEN IN YOUR SOIL.
Becky Maden, UVM Extension
To assess how well your fertilizer program is providing N to crops, take a Pre-sidedress Nitrate Test (PSNT) to measure the level of nitrate-N in the soil at a given point in time. Analysis costs $10 at the UVM soil lab. For more information see: https://nevegetable.org/cultural-practices/nitrogen-management.
LEAF ANALYSIS TO GUIDE TUNNEL TOMATO FERTILIZATION
Becky Maden, UVM Extension
Leaf, or tissue analysis tells you what nutrients your tomato crop is taking up from the soil. Samples cost $28 analyzed through Dairy One in NY. https://dairyone.com/services/forage-laboratory-services/plant-tissue-analysis/ Sample 15 to 20 recently mature, fully expanded leaves that are at a 90-degree angle, typically the 4th leaf from the top. Ship immediately in a paper bag to the lab. Need support? rebecca.maden@uvm.edu
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR APHID PROBLEMS IN HIGH TUNNELS
Cheryl Frank Sullivan, Entomologist, UVM Entomology Research Laboratory, cfrank@uvm.edu
Potato aphids ‘PA’ (Macrosiphum euphorbiae) were identified in high tunnel greens at a few locations this spring which indicated they had overwintered there. We now have several reports of PA reaching damaging levels on tunnel tomatoes. Green Peach aphids ‘GPA’ (Myzus persicae) are also a common problem that can carry over. Timely scouting to find patchy, problem areas and early interventions can reduce the risk of future damage. Now is a good time to take another look for aphids on your crops before it gets too late. If unsure what species is present, send a lot of specimens in a crush proof container to the UVM Entomology Research Laboratory or the UVM Plant Diagnostic Clinic.
For more specific information see:
Sustainable Pest Management in Greenhouses and High Tunnels (NE SARE):
Tomato, Greenhouse & High Tunnel - Insect Control (New England Vegetable Management Guide): https://nevegetable.org/crops/insect-control-25
RESOURCES FROM THE UVM AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING TEAM - Andy Chamberlin and Chris Callahan
New Blog Posts
Farmer’s Favorite Cleaning Tools. As part of our SCRUB Project, we have demonstrated a wide range of Cleaning Tools on-farm with growers. https://go.uvm.edu/ffcleaningtools
“Dry Cleaning” on Produce Farms: Alternatives to Using Water & Detergents. You may feel like it is necessary to soak everything with water, scrub with detergent, and dose with a sanitizer no matter what. Well, hold on. There may be situations when a “dry” approach to cleaning and sanitizing makes more sense. http://go.uvm.edu/drycleaning
Detergents for Farm Food Contact Surfaces. What is an “Appropriate detergent for food contact surfaces?” Don’t get confused by the word, “detergent.” A detergent really is anything that has the chemical ability (due to surfactants) to grab onto soil, oils, fats, or other filth with more strength than those things grab onto the surface being cleaned. http://go.uvm.edu/detergents
New Videos
Heated Greenhouse Benches at Blue Star Farm. https://youtu.be/muYtRvLal-I
Rebuilding a Vegetable Brush Washer for Produce Safety. https://youtu.be/BRmzBQv-EtE
Building A Better Greens Bubbler [Updated]. https://youtu.be/GI2tWR5amZs
How to Quickly Rinse Bins, at Root 5 Farm. https://youtu.be/KnST6KRfwck
New Podcasts can be found https://agengpodcast.com
Heated Greenhouse Benches at Blue Star Farm: Ep75 https://agengpodcast.com/2022/06/20/heated-greenhouse-benches-at-blue-star-farm-ep75/
High Tunnels, Cat Tunnels and Wash Pack Tour of Blue Star Farm: EP76 https://agengpodcast.com/2022/06/27/greenhouse-cat-tunnel-wash-pack-tour-of-blue-star-farm-ep76/