Vegetable Crops Edition

Seasonal updates and alerts on insects, diseases, and weeds impacting vegetable crops. New Jersey Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations updates between annual publication issues are included.
 
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Rutgers Weather Forecasting - Meteorological Information important to commercial agriculture.

May 1, 2022

Drought planning. Monitoring real time stream flow

With dry conditions occurring as planting season is underway monitoring real time stream flow is a useful tool.

Non-irrigation users as well as those who rely on irrigation can use this tool to forecast short term and long term conditions that will benefit or impact when and what to plant, when to water, and how precipitation or the lack thereof will help or hurt applications of nitrogen fertilizer and herbicides that require surface moisture for activation.

Here is the link to the USGS real time stream flow readings on the National Water Dashboard for Salem County and surrounding areas. Chose stream level data and aquifer type in the legend box to see streams near your location.

At the end of March, the county was about at an inch and a half deficit for rainfall compared to the 30-year average. Despite the inches received in April, streamflow readings at nine locations in the coastal plain aquifer system of South-Central NJ are much below normal. Ten readings are below normal, and one reading on Mantua Creek in Pitman, NJ is at an all-time low for this day.

If we use the US Drought Monitor comparison slider, we can see that much of Cumberland County and parts of Salem and Gloucester are experiencing drier conditions then this time last year. Gusty winds and below average high temperatures the last three days of April stressed spring seedling flower transplants and annual crop germinations. The duration of wind significantly dried surface soil moisture limiting transplant root expansion and delayed new seeding Adventitious roots from expanding deeper into the soil. Comparing this information to last year’s crop progress and monitoring root development (moisture seeking behavior) can help producer’s estimate crop progress and response to droughty conditions going forward.

The current forecast has a good chance of rain on Wednesday and again on Friday and Saturday. After the rains, revisit the real time stream monitoring site and see if local conditions have changed. If stream discharge improves, this is a good indication sub soil has adequate moisture, and in sandy soils this will help roots to expand deeper into the soil profile.

https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?NJ

 

Filed Under: Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops
April 29, 2022

The NJ Plastic Bag Ban and Your Retail Farm Market

The NJ plastic bag ban will impact retail farm markets starting May 4th.  Note that enforcement of this ban will vary based on your retail sales location.  Counties and municipalities may use their health or other departments for enforcement along with the DEP. Without specific guidance on how to enforce the ban in farm retail settings there will likely be variations based on location.

Some key pieces of information about the rule that may impact your market are detailed below:

Paper bags are banned only for stores that are identified as a “grocery store”.  If you are not considered a grocery store (see definition below) you may use paper bags.

Grocery stores are defined as “self-service retail establishment that occupies at least 2,500 square feet and that sells household foodstuffs for offsite consumption, including fresh produce, meat, poultry, deli products, dry foods, baked foods, prepared foods.”  We anticipate that enforcement will vary based on local jurisdiction with this definition.  If you are a retail farm market that is over 2,500 square feet, including your outdoor sales areas, it is suggested that you communicate with your municipality or county to determine if you can use paper bags or not.

The state does not define what types of plastic bags can be used for exempted items, and we have had varying guidance from DEP. Questions about the rule can be directed to singleuseplastics@dep.nj.gov Contact your municipality or county to determine how they plan to regulate exempted item bagging. DEP identifies the following items as exempt:

  • Loose items including: fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee, grains, baked goods, candy, greeting cards, flowers, small hardware items
  • Uncooked meat, fish, or poultry
  • Food sliced or prepared to order, including soup and hot foods

You cannot sell single use bags at your store, except for pre-packaged bags such as bulk trash bags, pet waste bags, zip-lock bags, etc.

The regulation does not discuss biodegradable single-use bags  that can be decomposed by bacteria and other living organisms in a short period of time. The plastic bag ban is specific to single-use bags made from a synthetic materials. Many biodegradable bags are made from corn-based materials and have improved in their strength since they were first released a number of years ago. Should you plan on purchasing biodegradable bags make sure you can prove what materials they are made of in case of customer or regulatory questioning. The New Jersey Office of Innovation has a listing of companies that sell bags that are allowable under the ban.

Reusable bags ideally should be made of materials that can be easily cleaned and must have handles stitched onto them. Fabrics that can be washed and dried in a machine are preferred since the heat cycle in the dryer will kill any potential human pathogens that find their way onto the bags surface. If purchasing reusable bags to give to your customers be sure to look at the cleaning instructions and communicate proper handling of these bags to your customers. You are not required to provide reusable bags to your customers.

As we better understand this regulation, we will share that information with you.

*article updated on June 15, 2022

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops
April 27, 2022

Allium leaf miner update: 04/27/22

Allium Leaf Miner (ALM)

Allium leaf miner (ALM) adults (flies) continue to be captured on yellow sticky cards in chive plantings in Hunterdon and Mercer counties.  Numbers have declined somewhat this week (Milford, Hunterdon County 21, Princeton, Mercer County 13) relative to the week prior (Milford 27, Princeton 45), but it is still too soon to stay whether the first flight has peaked.  We will report the captures over the next two weeks, with hopes for signs that the flight is ending.

Growers should consider maintaining the control method of their choice at this time.  Affected crops include chives, scallions, garlic, onions and leeks.  Look for neat rows of white spots descending from the upper tips of allium leaves (photo at left).  Initial injury often occurs on the tallest leaves.  Under warmer, less breezy conditions, adults may be seen near the tips of leaves (see photo of adult at lower right).

Floating row covers, kept on until this flight ends will help minimize access to plants.  Insecticide applications targeting adults may be helpful as well, although frequency of applications is uncertain.  Spinosyn materials (Radiant, Entrust (OMRI approved)), pyrethroids (Mustang Maxx, Warrior), neonicotinoids (Scorpion, Venom), the diamide Exirel (section 2ee recommendation) and the insect growth regulator Trigard are labeled for miner control.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
April 22, 2022

Anthracnose and Botrytis Control in Strawberries for 2022

Dr. Mengjun Hu, University of Maryland, and Kathy Demchak, Penn State University, have written an extensive article on effective strategies for Botrytis and Anthracnose fruit rot control for the 2022 season.

Managing gray mold (Botrytis) on strawberries is increasingly challenging because of fungicide resistance development, plus a new Botrytis species that is less susceptible to fungicides is becoming common in the mid-Atlantic region. Resistance to certain fungicides is also a problem in management of anthracnose fruit rot. This article describes disease management strategies designed to slow further resistance development, while also providing specifics for managing our two most common fruit rots.

The rest of the article can be accessed and downloaded as a PDF file by clicking on the following link: Botrytis and Anthracnose Mgt Strawberries final.

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops
April 21, 2022

ATTENTION: Department of Agriculture Allows Controlled Open Burns to Protect Crops

With the state continuing to experience colder spring temperatures, the Department of Environmental Protection has agreed with NJDA Secretary Douglas Fisher’s request to allow farmers to do controlled open burning or use specialized torches known as smudge pots to protect flowering crops from damage beginning today, April 20, through Wednesday, May 4.

Damage from freezing weather now can significantly reduce yields of certain fruits and vegetables that are in the flowering stage.

 

Please see the link below for more information:

NJDA Press Release 4/20/2022

 

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Fruit, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape
April 21, 2022

Understanding Protectant Fungicides
(FRAC groups M01 – M12) in 2022

Protectant (contact) fungicides, such as the inorganics (copper, FRAC group M01) and sulfur (FRAC code M02); the dithiocarbamates (mancozeb, M03), phthalimides (Captan, M04), and chloronitriles (chlorothalonil, M05) are fungicides which have a low chance for fungicide resistance to develop. Protectant fungicides typically offer broad spectrum control for many different pathogens.

Why wouldn’t fungi develop resistance to protectant fungicides? Protectant fungicides are used all the time, often in a weekly manner throughout much of the growing season.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Vegetable Crops Tagged With: