What’s Happening? Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates

Web AdminSouth Carolina, Strawberry

Weekly Field Update 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 Zack Snipes Midlands Sarah Scott Upstate Andy Rollins Sponsored ContentSECURE FUNDING NOW | USDA-Sponsored Farming Project Underway in the Southern PiedmontFebruary 1, 2024Celebrating 50 Years of GrowthDecember 1, 2023Protect Your Groves From …

‘Great’ Planting Conditions for Florida Strawberry Growers

Web AdminFlorida, Strawberry

By Clint Thompson Strawberry planting has commenced across southern Florida. Growers have been met with ideal conditions so far, according to one producer. “It’s been great. We’ve had overcast days. It’s great planting weather over here,” said Matt Parke, farm manager of Parkesdale Farms in Plant City, Florida. “We’ve had some misty rains early on, a little bit of rain …

Better Watch Out: Neopestalotiopsis Still a Concern for Florida Strawberry Growers

Web AdminDisease, Research, Strawberry

By Clint Thompson Florida strawberry growers are on the brink of planting this season’s crop. One University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) expert is cautioning producers about disease control. One disease specifically comes to mind, says Natalia Peres, professor of plant pathology at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. “I think Neopestalotiopsis is still …

Strawberry Farmer Testimonial: Hurricane Idalia Impact Not as Bad as Planting Season Looms

Web AdminFlorida, Strawberry

By Clint Thompson Matt Parke’s anxiousness paid off this summer in preparing for the upcoming strawberry planting season. Instead of waiting to apply plastic, the farm manager of Parkesdale Farms in Plant City, Florida, decided to apply it early. Since that part of the state avoided the brunt of Hurricane Idalia last week, the move paid off and all the …

‘Clean Plants’ Vital to Success for Florida Strawberry Growers

Web AdminFlorida, Strawberry

By Clint Thompson Florida strawberry growers are close to planting this year’s crop. Success this season will hinge largely on how “clean” the plants are that producers get from nurseries, believes Dustin Grooms, a producer in Plant City, Florida. “Getting good plants is the beginning of it all. If you get problematic plants, you’ll fight with it all year. You …

From Start to Finish: Chilli Thrips Remain a Season-Long Concern for Florida Strawberry Growers

Web AdminFlorida, Pests, Strawberry

By Clint Thompson Strawberry planting season is just around the corner for South Florida producers. One part of production that growers will have to be ready for is managing chilli thrips. Sriyanka Lahiri, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor of entomology and nematology at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, discussed chilli thrips …

Florida Strawberry Update: Hillsborough County Land Running Low for Farmers

Web AdminFlorida, Strawberry

By Clint Thompson Hillsborough County, Florida’s winter strawberry capital of the United States, could soon be in danger. Matt Parke, farm manager of Parkesdale Farms in Plant City, Florida, believes the influx of people moving into the area means there is less and less land to use for agriculture. That will slowly impact the county’s production of strawberries over time. …

Central Alabama Strawberry Season: Better Than Average

Web AdminAlabama, Strawberry

By Clint Thompson Strawberry season was a success for growers in central Alabama. Weather conditions the last few months allowed for producers to maintain their season longer than normal, said David Lawrence, regional Extension agent in central Alabama. “We finished two or three weeks ago, which is, if you can get into June with strawberries, you’ve done good. We had …

Combining UV light, Predatory Mites Could Help Manage Strawberry Pest

Web AdminFlorida, Research, Strawberry

Strawberry growers can use ultraviolet light and predatory mites to help control a devastating, but new University of Florida research adds a cautionary note. This integrated approach to managing twospotted spider mites comes as helpful information for growers in Florida’s $400 million-a-year strawberry industry. Sriyanka Lahiri, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologist, first found …