Rob Last reports, “Insect and disease activity is increasing in the area, across a broad range of crops. In cucurbits, we are seeing powdery mildew and gummy stem blight in watermelon. Remember to keep spray intervals tight. Loopers are also being found in the area, and applications to manage rind worms will be beneficial as we rapidly approach harvest. Fusarium wilt of watermelons is showing up in many fields. At this stage, there is no effective treatment; however, soil temperatures are likely to reduce the incidence of new infections. Tomatoes and peppers are developing well with Southern blight and bacterial wilt in evidence. Spider mites are very active right now. Blackberries are just coming to harvest with good flavor and quality. Remember to scout your crops regularly to ensure timely applications can be made.”
Zack Snipes reports, “Tomatoes are starting to come in as well as every other summer vegetable. Volumes of these crops are high. I expect to see an uptick in disease this week as we had several cloudy, humid, rainy days without much actual rain. Downy mildew was found in Charleston County this week, so growers should be scouting their cucumbers, squash, and other cucurbit crops to find and treat for disease before they wipe out the crop.”
Justin Ballew reports, “Some areas got a little rain last week, but it didn’t provide much relief. The Midlands remain very dry. Several strawberry growers have started to call it a season on their strawberries and have begun to terminate fields. Some berries are still being picked and will continue for another couple of weeks, so go buy them while you can. Other crops are growing well, though we are seeing some disease. Southern blight has been showing up in tomatoes and
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