Fruit and Vegetable News

University of Minnesota Extension will host their annual Pumpkin Grower Meetup on Tuesday November 14th from 1:00 - 3:00pm on Zoom.   Speakers and topics include... Charlie Rohwer, researcher at Southern Research and Outreach Center will present results of an ongoing experiment investigating 4 species of clover interseeded between pumpkin rows  Ryan Pesch, University of Minnesota Extension agricultural business management educator will present on marketing and record keeping techniques. Pumpkin grower  Rod Elmstrand will share his years of wisdom on cultural practices for successful pumpkin harvests.  Extension educators, Natalie Hoidal, Marissa Schuh and Madeline Wimmer will be available to talk about weed management, marketing and soil health as it relates to pumpkin growing in the state. There will be some time to connect with other pumpkin growers around the state on grower-led topics in a group discussion. Register for the Annual Pumpkin Grower Meetup here:   z.umn.edu/Pumpkinmeet

Author: Natalie Hoidal From hollow heart to soft rot to freeze damage, we've seen a whole host of potato issues this fall. This article provides an overview of these issues and management tips for each. Hollow heart Image: Ben Phillips, Bugwood.org Hollow heart, the formation of an irregularly shaped hole in the center of potatoes, is caused by alternating periods of rapid and slow growth. We see this occur when we have excessive moisture followed by dry periods, and when soil fertility is not managed well. Often after really wet weather we welcome drier periods, but it's important to monitor soil moisture and irrigate when necessary to prevent symptoms like hollow heart. Hollow heart does not affect the flavor or safety of potatoes, but customers who purchase potatoes with this condition may think that something is wrong and throw them out, or choose to purchase from someone else in the future. Tips for managing hollow heart: If you have some hollow heart in thi

Marissa Schuh , IPM Extension Educator As we reach the end of the growing season, pumpkin and winter squash are being picked, stored, and bought by customers.  Fruits that are a little (or a lot) off can be found in every field, but when should you worry? Some issues are a fact of growing cucurbits, and pop up on different farms every year, others may change your crop management significantly. Diagnosis of fruit rots, especially at this point in the season (and a few rainy days!) can be tricky. Once the fruit is compromised, bacteria and fungi from the environment want to join in on the decay.  While getting fruit into the diagnostic clinic is tricky, if you are seeing widespread damage, it is a good idea to make a trip to St. Paul. Fruit appears water soaked after a cold night? Think frost damage Nights are getting cooler, and remember that low spots in the field can have extra cold microclimates. If you are seeing pumpkins and squash, either in the field or waiting for sale, with wa

Are you looking for ways to manage fertility in your high tunnel with less reliance on purchased composts and manures? Are you an organic farmer or a farmer considering transitioning to organic in the Upper Midwest or Northeast regions of the United States? Consider participating in our multi-farm collaborative trial! The Grossman lab at the University of Minnesota and the Sideman lab at the University of New Hampshire have been studying bet-bet cover crop options for high tunnels for the last few years, and we're now ready to start trialing these systems with networks of farmers. We're looking for farmers who want to try cover crops in a small portion of their high tunnel alongside a communtity of growers trialing the same practices. If you participated in our broccoli trial, this will be similar.  There are two ways to get involved: Participate in a focus group Take part in an on-farm trial in 2024. Participants will receive seed and guidelines to try “best bet” legumes and t

Are you a specialty crop farmer who has experienced herbicide drift, or who has questions about the process for reporting herbicide drift? The Minnesota Department of Agriculture, University of Minnesota Extension, and the Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association are holding a joint listening session where growers can voice concerns about the process for reporting. In these meetings, MDA will present a short overview about the current process for filing a pesticide drift complaint in Minnesota including: How to file a complaint The drift complaint process timeline Tips from inspectors for filing a successful complaint Gerald Holmes, Strawberry Center, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Bugwood.org   After a short presentation about the current process and timeline, we will facilitate a conversation to solicit grower feedback about how to make this process more approachable to fruit and vegetable growers.  Listening sessions will be held on Zoom:  Monday October 23rd from 6-7pm. Registe