Fruits

Pest Management Guide: Field Crops, 2013

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:24:00 -0500

Pest Management Guide: Horticultural and Forest Crops, 2013

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:44:00 -0500

2013 Spray Bulletin for Commercial Tree Fruit Growers

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:55:00 -0500

Supermarkets as Alternative Market Outlets for Virginia-Grown Berries

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:34:09 -0500

Winter Injury and Cool Temperatures Create Ideal Conditions for Botrytis in Strawberries*

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:48:18 -0400

Winter injury has left many dead leaves that will serve as a major source of Botrytis spores in the early spring season. Likewise, a number of plantings recently experienced freeze injury to emerged blooms. These dead flowers can become infected with Botrytis; the pathogen can grow down the peduncle and into the upper crown tissue to cause a Botrytis crown rot.

Response of Erect Blackberries to Improved Water and Nutrient Management

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:51:45 -0400

A few years ago we planted an acre of newer varieties of erect blackberries including thornless varieties Apache, Arapaho, Navaho, Chester and Ouachita, and thorny ones including Shawnee, Kiowa and Chickasaw.

Off-season Management Tasks and Considerations for Selected Small Fruit Crops

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:19:48 -0400

Late fall, winter and early spring is an important period of management for small fruit crops such as strawberries, blackberries and raspberries, blueberries, and currants/gooseberries. Paying attention to management details during this time helps to ensure a successful crop the following season.

Frost/Freeze Protection in Strawberries

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:30:02 -0400

Even though the coldest part of the season has past, beware of temperature fluctuations during bloom that can plunge below freezing and damage emerging flowers. Strawberry crowns are fairly tolerant of low temperatures when fully dormant. However, as the plant awakens, re-hydrates tissues and begins to grow there is a concurrent loss of cold tolerance.

Specialty Crop Profile: Blueberries for the Upper Piedmont and Mountain Regions - Part 2

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:25:00 -0400

Planting of bare-root stock should be scheduled as early as possible in the spring (Feb-March) when the danger of severe frost has passed. Containerized plants can be set in the fall (Sept-Oct.), in all but the coldest elevation regions.

Blueberry Mulching Re-visited

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:13:25 -0400

We continue to be impressed and pleased with the new growth on our older highbush blueberries since we began a more regular or calendar-based soil mulching program on them a couple years ago.

Specialty Crops Profile: Blueberries for the Upper Piedmont and Mountain Regions - Part 1

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:16:07 -0400

As a small fruit crop, blueberries are a good fit for the diversified small farm and direct marketing operation. Interest in this nutritious and versatile berry is on the increase, as consumers discover its flavor and uses in fresh and home baking recipes.

Specialty Muskmelons

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:06:43 -0400

Cantaloupe or muskmelon (Cucumis melo) production is an important vegetable crop in Virginia. In 2001, Virginia producers grew 800 acres of cantaloupes valued at $1.4 million.

Small Fruit Planting - Reasons for Planning Ahead

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:31:25 -0400

More often than not you have heard recommendations that call for planning planting activities a year in advance for perennial crops such as small fruit: blueberries, brambles and strawberries. This recommendation is an important one and made for several key reasons: future weed control, fertility management, soil building, and to facilitate early planting.

Potential for Vegetables During the Strawberry Season

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:50:45 -0400

The potential of bringing early vegetable crop sales into the strawberry season is a marketing opportunity worth considering. It makes sense to have early season vegetable crops available as customers come out for the first strawberries of the season.

Observations from the Crows Nest - Notes on Winter Protection of Strawberry Crowns

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:44:03 -0400

Recently during the cold snap we had in January I had a few eastern Piedmont growers inquire as to the need for covering their strawberries, I posed the question to Charlie O'Dell regarding his past experiences with strawberry crown damage in an uncovered, unprotected situation.

Stinger Registered For Virginia-Grown Strawberries

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:58:39 -0400

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the EPA have approved a state label for use of Stinger (clopyralid) on strawberries grown in Virginia.

Pristine Labeled for Berries

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:56:01 -0400

Pristine fungicide from BASF has been approved for use in crops in the berry crop grouping (blueberries, currants, gooseberries, currants, huckleberries, blackberries or raspberries, and their hybrids) and strawberries.

Elderberry Resources

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:08:21 -0400

Elderberries, although somewhat bland to eat fresh, have always been quite a treat when rendered into jam, syrup, or wine. But the native American species, Sambucus Canadensis (Caprifoliaceae, or honeysuckle family), has never reached the mainstream market as have blueberries and strawberries.

Weed Management Update in Small Fruit

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:03:24 -0400

One question that I have frequently received this year, just like last year, concerns the availability of Surflan (common name oryzalin). Surflan is a commonly-applied preemergence herbicide for control of annual grasses like crabgrass and foxtail, along with certain annual broadleaf weeds like chickweed, pigweed, and lambsquarters.

Weed Management in Small Fruit Crops

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:25:54 -0400

For small fruit growers, the challenge of weed management is one of the greatest they will face to successfully grow these crops. Factors such as climate, weed introductions and adaptability, and years of agricultural activity have come together to select for weed species that are aggressive and persistent. Without management, weeds compete with crops for light, nutrients and water, resulting in stressed plants, poor fruit quality and yield.

Strawberry Anthracnose Ripe Fruit Rot and Management Recommendations

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:34:12 -0400

Anthracnose symptoms on ripe strawberry fruit include typical sunken and round lesions with an orange discoloration within the lesion and brown spots on green fruit.

New Primocane Raspberry Experiences and Potentials - Update for Year 2002

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:38:19 -0400

This is the first of a two part series written by former Virginia Tech Extension Specialist, Charlie O'Dell. Charlie has been keeping very busy in retirement growing small fruit and vegetables for his U-Pick operation near Blacksburg. In this segment he has some great insight and practical experience to share with us about new primocane raspberry varieties and production considerations for both new and established growers.

10 Years' Experiences with Plasticulture Strawberries in a Colder Area

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:08:47 -0400

Over the past decade we've produced Chandler strawberries on plastic mulch on one to two acres per year in the mountains of western Virginia at elevation of about 2,400'.

New Strawberry Variety Released By NC State; Being Tested In Virginia Tech Study

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:48:24 -0400

Over the years that strawberry plasticulture has been implemented in the region, growers have relied on only a few cultivars, most notably "Chandler" and "Camarosa", to support this high-dollar industry. Last month, Dr. Jim Ballington of NC State announced the public release of a new cultivar developed through his breeding program.

Multi-Cropping Plasticulture in the Mid-Atlantic Area

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:26:57 -0400

Plasticulture is very expensive for smaller growers to establish. Multi-cropping would spread these costs over more than one crop. Double-cropping is done in the mid-Atlantic area but the favorable climate of Virginia's Eastern Shore should make three crops possible.

Mite Management on Recently Planted Plasticulture Strawberries

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:58:59 -0400

Fall management of mites: Transplants and plugs can arrive with mite problems right off the bat! Be sure to carefully examine the undersides of the leaves (with 10x lens) of your new bare-root and plug plants in the field for the presence of 2-spotted spider mites in the early fall.

How to Space Red Raspberries

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:56:25 -0400

I assume that you intend to plant all your raspberry transplants in a single row. If that is not the case, I suggest that the rows' center-lines be spaced at least 8 feet apart so that adjacent rows can be managed in such a way that inter-row shading will be avoided.

Notes on Harvesting and Handling Melons

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:46:48 -0400

Depending on where you are in Virginia, cantaloupe harvest has been ongoing since mid-to late June in the Southeast, and early July in the Piedmont and Southwest. Watermelon harvest is in full swing in the east and just starting for growers in the Southwest. These two types of melons make up the majority of acreage in the state, though there are some honeydew and specialty melons such as casaba, crenshaw and french charentais grown for direct markets.

Cucumber Beetle Management in Melons

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:38:20 -0400

Cucumber beetles can be a major pest of cucurbit crops in Virginia, particularly cantaloupes and cucumbers. This was displayed in dramatic fashion this spring at the Eastern Shore AREC.

Answers to Some Questions that Blueberry Producers have Asked

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:18:45 -0400

Why aren't my blueberry plants growing well? What can I do to avoid problems and improve my chances of success in future plantings of this crop?

Managing Plant Diseases with Biofungicides

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:42:31 -0400

Diseases in greenhouse vegetables and floriculture crops can be managed effectively with biological fungicides (biofungicides). A biofungicide is composed of beneficial microorganisms, such as specialized fungi and bacteria that attack and control plant pathogens and the diseases they cause (USDA). These specialized fungi and bacteria are microorganisms that normally inhabit most soils.

Actigard May Reduce Disease in Strawberry

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:49:25 -0400

One of the biggest problems facing strawberry production in Virginia is disease management.

Peach and Nectarine Varieties for Virginia