Fruit and Vegetable News

Did you know that twin cities residents eat more raspberries per capita than any other US city? Raspberries are a high value, high demand specialty crop worthy of precious high tunnel real estate. Growing them in high tunnels rather than the open field increases yield and fruit quality, extends the growing season, and protects the berries from disease by excluding rainfall.  We have noticed increased interest in high tunnel raspberries among Minnesota specialty crop farmers in recent years, which is great. In response, we just published a new 19-page guide, Organic High Tunnel Raspberry Production. You can download the guide as a PDF here, from University of Minnesota Extension: Organic High Tunnel Raspberry Production Guide In this guide: Variety recommendations Production tips for crop productivity and season extension Organic disease, insect pest, and weed management Organic spotted wing Drosophila options Nutrient management Irrigation and fertigation ...and more

Marissa Schuh - Horticulture IPM Extension Educator, Reviewed by Natalie Hoidal While the prolonged heat is testing irrigation systems and human endurance, some insects are thriving.  Here’s a rundown of three pests whose populations boom during periods of hot, dry weather.  The pests themselves are small in size and not common troublemakers on many farms, but hot weather allows them to quickly build their populations to damaging levels.   For all these pests, a cold front or some rain will tamp down their populations, but read on with ways to deal with them as this heat wave continues. Aphids Aphid Basics Minnesota is home to many species of aphids , a few of which can cause problems in vegetables. We most often see aphids on brassicas and cucurbits.    Female aphids spend the summer giving live birth to genetic clones of themselves. Photo: MedievalRich, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons. Aphids damage...