Fruit and Vegetable News

Annalisa Hultberg Extension Educator, Food Safety Human pathogens, such as Salmonella or pathogenic E. coli, can be present in water used in the water you use for irrigation and postharvest uses like handwashing and rinsing vegetables, and can make people sick if ingested.  Testing your water annually for bacteria is an important way to protect your customers from potential illness associated with contaminated water. Collecting a water sample  Photo credit: Jules Geisler What is the risk of different water sources? Surface waters like ponds are considered the highest risk to produce safety since their quality can be highly variable and they are susceptible to contamination from animals and other sources.  Livestock can contaminate surface water  Photo Wes Kline, Rutgers University Ground water sources, like wells, tend to be less risky than surface water; however, the risk of contamination is still present, especially in older wells or those near animal feeding...

Author: Natalie Hoidal, UMN Extension We've seen some very heavy rains followed by hot weather over the last couple of weeks. These conditions can cause crusting on the soil surface. In this brief overview, I'll discuss how / why crusts form, and how you can respond in the immediate and longer term. At this point in the season, most crops are already in the field. However, many of you will continue to plant successions of brassicas, lettuce, carrots, and other crops. We tend to see some of our heaviest rains and thunderstorms in the summer, so keep the possibility of crusting in mind as you time your plantings. Soil crusting: Why does it happen?  Crusting often leads to uneven emergence Photo: Angie Peltier Soils that have high aggregate stability (a function of soil texture, organic matter, and biological activity) are able to retain their structure in the face of heavy rainfall. A soil with lower aggregate stability is more likely to experience some disintegration...

Author: Natalie Hoidal, UMN Extension Educator for local foods and vegetable production Spring temperatures have been cool across the state, and some of you may be holding onto your transplants longer than usual. In Minnesota this May, we’ve accumulated anywhere from 35 to 75 fewer growing degree days than what we would see in an average May. There are a few things you can do to slow down transplant growth prior to transplanting, and to reduce transplant shock: Before transplanting Limit growth if you need to hold transplants longer than expected If your plants are starting to stretch and you’re not ready to transplant into the field, there are a few ways you can reduce growth and stem elongation. By lowering the overall temperature of your greenhouse or high tunnel, plant growth will slow down. This may also help to harden off your plants and reduce transplant shock. Another option is to simply bring your plants outside during the day if doing so is feasible with the scale...