Fruit and Vegetable News

Authors: Natalie Hoidal ,  Marissa Schuh , & Cindy Tong Updates are over, we’re still here! This will be our final update of the season. We know you still have a lot of farming to do this fall, but we generally find that there’s less to say in September as things start to wind down. It’s too late to make many management changes, and we start to shift our focus to winter programming. We’ll keep writing articles over the winter, we’re just shifting away from weekly crop by crop updates.  Some other places you can find us this fall /winter/spring: Email us any time! (general vegetable hoida016@umn.edu , pest management mschuh@umn.edu ) There are still field days this fall, including... Mechanical Weed Control Field Day - September 28th Delano, Minnesota (Wright County) . A full day focused on selecting, assembling, running, and calibrating all sizes of tools and equipment for mechanical weed control. Get hands-on experience with human and machine powered tools, from a variet...

Article written by Madeline Wimmer , UMN Extension Fruit Production Educator. Apples Apple scab cultural management: Encouraging leaf decomposition Article: Apple storage disorders and recommendations for four UMN varieties Did you see moldy core in your apples this year? Grapes Harvest efficiency: Another case for strategic canopy management Raspberries Article: Managing raspberry cane borers this fall This week’s update concludes the fruit update series for 2026. Each year comes with its challenges and 2026 was no exception with episodes of spring frost, continued drought conditions, and severe weather in various parts of the state. As you continue growing your fruit crops, it is with great hope that the content provided in this newsletter has provided you with some support.  As always, if there is any topic that you would like to see discussed more in the future, please reach out and let me know by email or by taking our annual survey. Based on demand, the newsletter has a large...

Article originally written by Annie Klodd, former UMN Extension Fruit Educator, updated in 2026 by Madeline Wimmer. Raspberry cane borer ( Oberea perspicillata, also cited as O. bimaculata ) is an occasional pest of raspberries in Minnesota. This borer causes the growing tips of raspberry canes to wilt and fall off as the adults chew two rings of holes, or punctures, in the canes during egg laying. Raspberry growers can scout for this damage in the fall and remove any canes with cane borer damage. Doing so is an effective management strategy to remove most or all of the larvae present. Images: Raspberry cane borer larvae tunnels seen directly below the puncture holes. Photo by Annie Klodd. Recognizing Cane Borers and their Damage Raspberry cane borer larvae are small, thin and light in color. They can be seen feeding their way down the inside of raspberry canes if you were to cut open an infested cane lengthwise. The adults are active from late June to early July. They are black beet...

Madeline Wimmer, UMN Extension educator and Cindy Tong, UMN Professor & Extension postharvest horticulturist Images: A collection of apple disorders caused by or worsened by storage conditions. This includes 1) soft scald ;  2) bitter pit , a physiological disorder related to calcium use in the apple fruit, which can start in the field, and worsen in storage; and 3)  diffuse flesh browning , which result from storage temperatures that are colder than an apple can tolerate .  Photo credit: Photos 1 and 3 under images are credited to Cindy Tong.  The Minnesota apple industry primarily sells apples through direct sales at farm stands, farmers markets, community supported agriculture (CSA), and on-site agritourism events like U-Pick and farm festivals. It’s not uncommon for elementary school classes to visit a local orchard in the fall to learn about apples, or for families to make a trip to an orchard on a Saturday afternoon to purchase apples, pumpkins, and ot...

  Weekly Vegetable Update September 3, 2026 Authors: Natalie Hoidal & Marissa Schuh It’s hot, it’s dry , it’s humid. Temperatures will take a turn to the cooler in the next week, and there’s chances of rain throughout the state. Our weekly crop-specific updates are winding down as we shift into harvest season, which means we’re starting to think more about fall and winter programming, and protecting soil over the winter.  What to do after storm damage Some counties in Southern Minnesota experience some strong storms, with winds and hail being reported. This is a frustrating time for weather damage, as so many crops in the field are at or nearing the finish line. Wait until things dry out, then assess damage level. We’ve written a lot in the last month about diseases that can hitchhike on people and equipment under wet conditions, and wounded plants will be extra vulnerable. Give plants protection from plant disease that can flare up in wounded plants, something broad spec...