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Crop planning deep dive: Mind your Peas and Beans

Natalie Hoidal and  Marissa Schuh , Extension Educators, University of Minnesota Extension. Originally published 2021, updated 2025. Our series on the issues Minnesota's major vegetables continues. This week we want to inoculate you with information on common issues and considerations in peas and beans.  Inoculating peas and beans Peas and beans are legumes. They form symbiotic relationships with rhizobia bacteria to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. In some soils, these bacteria are naturally abundant, while in others they need to be added. How do you know whether your soil contains native rhizobia populations? If peas, beans, and other legumes are a regular part of your rotation, you will likely have some rhizobia present in your soil. If your soil is acidic (pH <6), rhizobia are less likely to survive naturally in your soil. Ultimately, it is difficult to know whether you have existing rhizobia populations in your soil. There are a few important factors to consider when ...
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Weed Control in Pumpkins and Winter Squash

Marissa Schuh , Integrated Pest Management Extension Educator, University of Minnesota Extension. Reviewed by Annie Klodd. Originally published April 2021, updated April 21, 2024. With their long season and spreading growth habit, pumpkins often present a weed control challenge.  Here are some important factors and considerations when working to manage weeds in pumpkins and winter squash.  Waterhemp in a pumpkin patch. While a few sporadic weeds may seem insignificant, one average waterhemp plant produces about 250,000 seeds. Photo: Annie Klodd, University of Minnesota Extension. First, know your weeds. This is beyond knowing you have general issues with grasses or broadleaves.  Some cultural techniques and herbicide chemistries are more effective against some weeds than others.  Being familiar with the specific weed issues in the fields you are planting into will help you tailor your weed control program for success.  Most farms have three to four main problem ...

Interested in Agritourism?

Sign up for the new Minnesota Agritourism Quarterly Newsletter to stay connected with farm-based tourism efforts across the state. The newsletter includes best practices, regulatory updates, marketing tips, success stories, and news from statewide partners and programs. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/PAivr1PmQ3xFKArB7  

New crop planning tools - how much to plant and when

Extension has a new set of tools to help you plan just how many plants or beds you need to achieve your yield or market goals. Let's say you have a contract for 300 lbs of tomatoes, or 150 lbs of carrots, or that you hope to sell 25 lbs of cucumbers each week in July at the farmers market. How do you plan backwards to figure out how many plants you'll need, and when to start growing? Our new webpage on crop and field planing for vegetable farmers has tables to help you estimate how many plants or beds you need to achieve a certain yield, recommended plant spacing, seed or transplant needs, as well as timing recommendations (how early to start seeds indoors, how long it takes to produce a crop, harvest window).  We also have some guidelines on the webpage to help you choose which crops to grow. Many farmers grow a wide variety of crops for fresh markets (e.g. farmers markets), but when growing for a wholesale market, it becomes more important to choose crops that are lower risk,...

Crop planning deep dive: Raising Root Vegetables Right

Authors: Natalie Hoidal and  Marissa Schuh , Extension Educators, University of Minnesota Extension. Originally published 2021, updated 2025. T his week we dig deeper into root vegetables.  By planning ahead and anticipating challenges, you can get ahead of common problems that limit yields.   Get your stew mix ready, let’s talk carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips. Image: Howard F. Schwartz, Bugwood.org The Perfect Seedbed: Is it really necessary? Conventional wisdom regarding seedbeds for small-seeded crops like carrots and beets is that a perfectly smooth seedbed is necessary for good germination. Clods on the surface can smother small seedlings, and an uneven soil surface can result in variable seeding depths and access to moisture. However, in recent years, growers using no-till and reduced till methods have challenged this idea with two main strategies to avoid perfect seedbeds:  Using row cover or burlap at planting helps to hold moisture near the soil. Whi...