Blackberry Cold Damage?

Check Dr. Gina Fernandez's blogpost on the potential cold damage to blackberries tonight:

http://teamrubus.blogspot.com/2012/04/cold-weather-and-blackberry-and.html

Will Warm Winter Impact Small Fruit Production?

Small fruit need a certain period of time under 45F, this period is known as the chilling requirement. Different small fruit, and even different varieties, have different chilling requirements. For example, raspberries have rather high chilling requirements, between 800 and 1,800 hours, while blackberries have a low chilling requirement, between 200-900 hours. Chilling requirements of blueberry vary widely between types, i.e. northern highbush (approx. 800-1,000), southern highbush (approx. 150-800) or rabbiteye (approx. 300-600).

The blackberry variety Oachita, popular WNC, is thought to have a mid-chilling requirement of 400 hours. Navaho, another widely produced variety for our region, has a 800-900 chilling hour requirement. Tupy, the primary blackberry grown in Mexico, has a chilling requirement of 200 hours.

Because of the mild winter thus far in the Southeast, there is concern that the small fruits will not accumulate the chilling hours necessary for proper production.

Dr. Gina Fernandez, small fruit specialist at NC State, shared a link to a new tool offered by the NC Climate Office in collaboration with small fruits specialists. This tool offers data that shows the chilling units accumulated in different weather stations across the southeast for blueberries, blackberries and strawberries.

You can find the data here: http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/products/ag/berries

For the Fletcher weather station, it appears that we are at almost 600 chilling hours for blackberry and 1210 for blueberry, therefore well on our way to meeting our chilling requirements this season.

To keep up with the latest from Dr. Fernandez and Team Rubus, check out the below social media and sites.

Twitter: @NCteamrubus
Blog: http://teamrubus.blogspot.com/
Facebook: TeamRubus

Web Portal: http://ncsu.edu/enterprises/blackberries-raspberries

Cucumbers and Pollinators: (Some) Questions Answered

When I first started my job in WNC in 2008, I was so excited to see that vegetable producers were growing cucumbers. Cucumber was the crop I worked with in my graduate work, so it was the only crop I felt mildly comfortable talking about (though it was still awkward at first).

To my surprise, in many of these production fields, I never saw a beehive. The areas that I had experience with in eastern NC, brought in at least one strong hive per acre of production. To learn more about bees, read Beekeeping and Cucumber Pollination.

How were these folks getting cucumbers? A cucumber flower must be visited multiple times by a pollinator to optimize fruit set. The answer was wild populations on pollinators and the nice sunny, warm weather that promotes activity and foraging of pollinators.

But, in 2009, growers noticed that yields were reduced and that fruit formation was off. The same varieties were grown and there was not downy mildew or other diseases in their early season crops. So what was different?

We were cool, cloudy and wet. How could you forget? The fact is, bees don't aggressively begin to forage until temperatures reach 70 F and they prefer dry conditions.

Could this lack of fruit also be due to a reduced population of wild pollinators? At this point we don't know, but it was obvious that the growers needed to do something. That something was to bring in some honey bee hives.

Here are some pictures of a female cucumber (top) and male cucumber flower (bottom), courtesy of Pollinator.com.


Below is an improperly pollinated fruit.

To see more pictures, visit pollinator.com's Cucumber Pollination: Visual Aids.

But, the growers were concerned. Bringing bees into their production was new and they had many questions - especially in regards to applying pesticides.

Here are a few of the questions that I received. Most answers are from NCSU Beekeeping Note 2.12.

• Where can I find honey bee hives to rent?

The NCDA&CS Apiary Services and NCSU Apiculture Program have developed Bee Linked, an online market for beekeepers and growers. www.ncagr.com/beelinked
You can also find local beekeepers through the North Carolina Beekeepers Association Website. www.ncbeekeepers.org.

• When should I apply pesticides to protect the bee hives?

Pesticides that are considered toxic to bees should be applied in the late afternoon (after 3:00 pm) or in the evening. Most honey bees have stopped foraging and have returned to the hive by 3:00 pm. This precaution will allow maximum time for the pesticide to break down before the bees come into contact the next day.

• What other considerations are important when applying pesticides?

Do your best to minimize drift. Drifting of the pesticide from the target pest and/or crop to areas frequented by bees should be minimized and pesticide formulation is the key to this problem. "Dusts" are prone to drift and are generally more dangerous to bees that sprays or granular applications. For more specifics, read Beekeeping Note 2.12.

Aerial applications are generally more dangerous than ground equipment. This is directly related to drift. Air-blast sprayers are more dangerous that pressurized pump sprayers. Never apply pesticides when wind velocities exceed 8 miles per hour.

Never apply any pesticide directly over a beehive.

Notify beekeepers who have beehives near an area to be treated, so that they may attempt to protect their bees from inadvertent exposure.

• Are there pesticides that are less toxic to honey bees?

Most pesticides are at least somewhat toxic to honey bees; however, the degree of toxicity varies considerably from product to product. Insecticides are generally the most likely to cause a bee kill. Below are some common pesticide active ingredients listed based on their toxicity to honey bees for a more complete list, see Beekeeping Note 2.12.

1. Highly Toxic: Severe bee losses may be expected if these products are used when bees are present. Abamectin, aldicarb, avermectin, azinphos-methyl, carbaryl, carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, imidacloprid, malathion, methomyl, pemethrin, spinosad...
2. Moderately Toxic: These pesticides can be used in the vicinity of bees IF dosage, timing, and method of application are correct. Bifenazate, disulfoton, endosulfan, fluvalinate, oxamyl, propamocarb, pyrethrum, tartar emetic, temephos, terbufos, thidicarb, zephyr...
3. Relatively Non-Toxic: These pesticides cam be used around bees with a minimum injury IF dosage, timing and method of application are correct. Bacillus thuringiensis, chlordimeform, cryolite, cymiazole, dicofol, dinobuton, esfenvalerate, methoxychlor, myriproxyfen, nicotine, Nosema locustae, pyrethrum, rotenone, tebufenozide, trichlorfon.

Visit the NCSU Apiculture Website for more details on honey bees.

To learn about cucumber production in NC: Fresh Market Production Cucumbers and Commercial Production of Pickling & Slicing Cucumbers in North Carolina.

To learn more about Bee Colony Collapse Disorder, read a scholarly article about the problem in Colony Collapse Disorder: A Descriptive Study.

Strawberry Row Covers Update

This just in from Dr. Barclay Poling about row covers:

"In trying to decide whether now is a good time to pull covers, or not, I always begin by thinking about the "crop stage" and how hardy the plants may be in mid-December.

Unlike last year, we have not had as much good hardening weather, and so I believe the idea of delaying the cover application has been justified. Right now, I think uncovered Chandler plants could handle cold temperatures in the upper teens, but mid-teens and lower would make me nervous.

In looking ahead into next week, I see that areas of the Piedmont like Gibsonville, NC (near Burlington) could experience a minimum of 18 F on Wed morning (12/23), whereas at Clayton (southeast of Raleigh) we will reach a minimum of 20 F. Leading up to Wednesday we will have a series of what I consider ideal hardening off temperatures (40's in day, 20's in night). It is best to allow the plants to be fully exposed to these kinds of outdoor air temperatures before pulling the winter blanket. In the milder Clayton area, we will not pull covers at all this winter unless there is a severe freeze threat, and a forecast in the low teens or single digits will tell us to go ahead and cover. We will then leave the covers in place through January, provided that we do not encounter a week of abnormally mild temperatures. The row covers can really elevate temperatures during the day, and if the forecast is for a week with daytime highs in the 60s we will pull the covers to the side.

In colder areas, like Gibsonville, NC and through the Piedmont, foothills and mountains, it is typical for strawberry plasticulture growers to pull covers in mid-to-late December. Pulling this late will help harden plants off for winter - all those days in late Nov and early Dec with day temperatures in the 40s, and nights in 20s are perfect for hardening off.

Other important factors in deciding "when" to actually pull the cover (if at all), depends on the variety and how far along the crop is right now. Chandler is a very cold hardy variety by comparison to Camarosa, and it it can grow "too well" under row covers if you are not careful. If you have large Chandler plugs that are nearly touching in the row the last thing you want to do is stimulate more plant development with row covers. Row covers work against you they cause the plant to produce too many crowns and ultimately flowers. As a rule, if I see a plant with 5-6 inch diameter on the plastic at Thanksgiving, I am quite satisfied -- this is what I refer to as a nicely balanced plant. If I see plants that are 8-9 inches in diameter, then I know to hit the brakes! Row covers will force even more plant development and I have seen situations where row covers can cause so much branch crown development that the flower numbers per plant are truly excessive. When bloom counts on Chandler get above 80 in the spring, you're in trouble. Ideally we would control plant development well enough so that you would not get in excess of 60 berries per plant and many growers would much prefer a plant with around 45-50 fruits (better berry size). At Thanksgiving time it has been my experience that the 6 inch diameter plant on the plastic is just about right.

So, to summarize this discussion on when to cover up:

1. Look at plant development in late Nov (Thanksgiving) and determine if your plant size is small (3-4 inch dia), medium (5-7 inch), or larger (8 inches and higher)

2. If the plant size is small, then you would want to apply rows covers earlier than later. If the plants are in the right range of around 6 inches, then the main idea is to simply offer "cold protection" as needed. If the plants are relatively hardy in mid- December, then you are will want to protect the crop from temperatures in the mid-teens and lower as they may not be hardy below this level. But, if the temperatures are not threatening, then there is no hurry to cover. In this advisory I have indicated that with temperatures in Gibsonville heading into upper teens in the middle of the week next week, I would probably then plan to cover by next Tuesday (12/22). At Clayton, we are not going to worry about low 20s. When covers are applied in late December in Piedmont, Foothills and Mountains, it is customary to leave the covers on for about the next 5-7 weeks (unless we get a Jan. thaw of some kind). I do not like to leave covers on too late into the winter. Ideally, you would get them off again in late winter to keep the plants in more of dormant condition (usually 2nd week in Feb in Raleigh area). I generally don't recommend that covers be left on through early March (when you begin to see new blossoms in this area). With larger plants (e.g. 8 inches and higher), you need to be extremely careful with Chandler - it can become a "beast" by next spring and your pickers are not going to like picking all that small fruit. Thus, with larger plants at this time of year you need to use the covers strictly for protection against extremes in temperatures and then try not to leave the covers on for any extended period.

3. Row cover weight - we still stick to 1.5 oz covers for the Mountains and 1 to 1.2 oz for the piedmont and sandhills. In eastern NC we do not use row covers for extended periods - just for protection against serious freezes. By the way we have seen some excellent yield benefits associated with pulling covers in mid-December at the Upper Mountain Research Station in Laurel Springs. We seem to get the best overall yields and fruit size with 1.5 oz covers pulled in mid-Dec vs. mid-Nov, or mid-Jan., in this colder location (3,000 ft elevation). It is interesting that last year we did a Camarosa trial in Salisbury, NC with 1 oz covers pulled in mid-Nov, mid-Dec and mid-Jan, and there was no difference! We are repeating that trial again at Salisbury in 2009-2010.

4. Chandler can grow too aggressively in winter under covers, and so if you already have large plants now, watch out! With the more cold sensitive Camarosa, the practice by growers in the Piedmont has been to pull covers even in early November. We have a lot more to learn about with managing Camarosa with row covers in colder regions, and I look forward to the data set that will be coming out of the Salisbury (Piedmont) research station next spring to give us some better guidance on row cover timing and duration with this variety (we also have different weight covers in this study).

I'll be back with some actual photos from Clayton in an advisory this Sunday. Please email your questions. For the next few days I will be traveling (again) and the cell number is best.

Have a good weekend!

Barclay Poling"

Physiological, Nutritional and Other Disorders of Tomato Fruit

Tomatoes with 'rain check', due to excessive rainfall.

Tomato producers face challenges every year. Some of these problems are pests and diseases, but some are related to nutrient deficiencies, some are caused by environmental conditions or genetic variations and some are physiological in nature.

The publication "Physiological, Nutritional, and Other Disorders of Tomato Fruit" by Dr. Stephen M. Olson of the University of Florida is an excellent resource. Dr. Olson describes these problems and gives possible causes or explanations for them, as well as possible control measures. The publication has some great pictures!

(Heather, I know you're reading this. You must be very proud!)

Flooding!

Radial cracking of tomato due to excess rain

We have been experiencing some very rainy weather conditions in WNC for the past few days. Some places are reporting better than 8 inches of rain just in the past 3 days!

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued flood warnings to Henderson, Polk and Transylvania Counties on Sunday night. This afternoon the NWS issued another flood warning until 5:30 pm to Transylvania, western Henderson, Haywood, Buncombe, Swain, Madison and Jackson Counties in WNC.

Some considerations that are important to make during heavy rains are:

1. Equipment. Please make sure that if there is heavy rain or the possibility of flooding that equipment gets moved to a place where it cannot be damaged. I know a few growers who took the time to move their irrigation pumps further up the banks to accommodate the flowing rivers and creeks. Also, don't forget to move port-o-johns! You don't want yours floating down the river!

2. Flooding and flood contaminated produce. With large amounts of rain flooding of fields from river, creek or stream water is a major concern. I am sure that you all remember Hurricanes Frances and Ivan! Because there is no way of knowing what kinds of contaminants are found in flood waters, crops that have been flooded CANNOT be harvested and sold for human consumption. A chlorine rinse is NOT adequate to guarantee safety of the produce. Crops intended for human consumption are considered contaminated if they have been covered with flood waters from rivers, creeks or streams. Growers should distinguish between rainwater that accumulates on a field because of excessive rainfall versus fields covered by flood waters from risen rivers, creeks or streams.

Hopefully you have purchased Noninsured Crop Disaster assistance Program (NAP) insurance. If your crop had been flooded and you have NAP insurance, please contact your local Farm Service Agency for assistance.

Here is a document from the Food Science Dept. at NCSU that talks about flooded crops:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/foodsci/ext/pubs/salvagingfloodedcrops.PDF

Good luck!

Frost Event- Vegetable Transplants and Strawberries

Monday night we had some very cold temperatures. Asheville Airport reported a record low of 35 degrees F and the Mountain Research Station in Waynesville reported 31 degrees F. That is pretty cold for the third week in May!

Vegetables/ Vegetable Transplants:
Most commercial growers were out in their fields early Tuesday morning taking precautionary measures to protect their young vegetable transplants. Some growers sprayed water, while others lit fires in drive rows.

Because most vegetables are planted on plastic, they remain somewhat warmer than air temperature. But, I did see some tomato transplants that had some minor frost damage. In the pictures below, notice the tips of the leaves looked burned. Also, we saw some speckling on the leaflets (bottom picture). Luckily, these plants didn't suffer severe damage and will be able to grow out of the damage. Pepper plants and cucumber plants in the same field didn't exhibit symptoms of frost damage.




Strawberries:
Most strawberry growers were able to put on row covers to protect blooms.

Did you know? Just 10-15 minutes of ice crystals on strawberry blossoms can cause serious damage, such as irregular shaped fruit, resulting in economic injury. Temperatures don't need to fall below 32-33 degrees F to result in damage.

Revisit my blog entry "Cold Damage Strawberries" for more information and videos on assessing damage.

I want to hear from you:
Did you experience any frost damage this week?
Have you experienced any damage this season?

Use the comment feature to post a comment.

Asparagus Update

I received a message today from someone who has seen similar symptoms on asparagus to those in my last post. The caller believes that the wilting symptoms could possibly be due to frost. What an excellent observation! It is so easy to forget about frost damage when you visit a farm when it is 80 degrees and sunny out. But, we have had some cold evenings and mornings in the last week or so.

Description of Frost Damage in Asparagus
Spears appear slightly darker green, water-soaked and break off easily. Soft-rotting bacteria can enter the damaged tissue. New spears take several more days to emerge. Temperatures below 33 degrees Fahrenheit may damage the spears.

Though the symptoms I presented in my last post don't exemplify frost damage exactly, I think that having such cold temperatures and wet weather combined didn't help out this particular planting.

Thank you so much for calls and comments. Please leave comments on the blog if you have something useful to add!

Cold Damage Strawberries

Dr. Barclay Poling at NCSU has put together two informational videos on how to assess cold damage to strawberries.

In Digital Thermometer, he explains how this device can be used for managing frost protection in strawberries.

In Strawberry Roots, he explains how to detect whether a plant has been injured by a winter freeze.

Both videos can be found on the NCSU Value-added and Alternative Agriculture site.

Enjoy!

In Like a Lion...

Well, this isn't what I was expecting for the beginning of March.

But it is nice to see some major snow this year. I received at least 6 inches in Hendersonville- I wish I took a picture of my car this morning. Actually, I really wish I bought a snow shovel yesterday!

The Farmer's Almanac has some interesting facts on the snow fall in the US. Perhaps the most interesting is that in the western US, mountain snow pack contributes up to 75 percent of all year-round surface water supplies! That is incredible.

This was the first storm I have ever experienced with thunder, lightning and snow. Someone told me that is good luck. I do feel lucky that this snow will contribute to our surface water levels (though not to the extent as in the western US) so our growers can irrigate their crops adequately this season. In Henderson County and southern Haywood and Buncombe counties we are still in a severe drought. Northern Haywood and Buncombe are listed as a moderate drought. You can view the drought monitor map of NC here.

Looking into the forecast, it appears that this snow will be gone by the end of the week with temperatures in the mid- to upper 60's. So, take a few days off from worrying about this year's growing season and enjoy a place by the fire. In a few days, when it is sunny and warm you can start worrying and tilling!

Frost?

Well it is that time of year again when we are looking for that first fall freeze. It does not appear that any freezing temperatures are on the immediate horizon as warm high pressure is expected to build east into NC from the west later next week ushering in some warmer temperatures. In fact temperatures are expected to be above normal over the next 6-10 days. The next shot of at least some cooler air will not come until around October 17th. Long range models show at least a brief weather pattern change for the middle of this month which will bring with it cooler temperatures. The 2-4 week outlook for the region is for a greater possibility for below normal temperatures will likely come in the latter 2 weeks of the month.

In WNC our average first freeze usually comes in late October and early November. Some isolated highland areas have already experienced a light frost.

Please take precautions to protect your crops if you have any that may be affected by a frost. Also, remind your friends and families to bring in house plants that are sensitive.

**Thanks to Jeff Orrock Warning Coordination Meteorologist for NOAA's National Weather Service out of the Raleigh Forecast Office for this information.

It's Strawberry Time!

Many growers are getting ready to prepare their fields and plant their strawberries. Luckily, we are not expecting the rain amounts in WNC that eastern NC is expecting and planting can continue. However, if it is possible that we get heavy rains and/or strong winds when you begin field preparation and planting there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are a few tips from Dr. Barclay Poling (Horticultural Science Dept. at NCSU) and Sam Harrell (Lewis Nursery and Farms in Rocky Point, NC) for planting during extreme weather and otherwise:
1. "Don't lay more plastic than you can cut waterways". In other words, when laying plastic prior to heavy rains make the necessary provisions to allow for adequate water drainage.
2. Lay plastic so that "a cup of dirt is formed" at the edge of the plastic. You don’t want to just throw dirt up against the base of the plastic bed, but you want to make sure that a “groove” is formed that actually holds some soil – the so called “cup of dirt.” Doing this will make sure that your plastic will stay down in case of strong winds.
3. Wait 2 full weeks before plantback. After fumigation with 50:50/methyl bromide:chloropicrin at recommended rates, allow the full 2 weeks (14 days) before planting. This is true with VIF plastics as well. Some growers are playing it safe, allowing 3 weeks, though 2 weeks should be adequate with warmer soil temperatures (than the spring). If you are using another fumigant be sure to strictly adhere to the manufacturer’s label on rate and plantback.
4. Punching holes. You can go out 24 hours in advance of planting to punch holes and this should further reduce the chance of any plant damage from residual gas. The EPA DOES NOT like the idea of cutting holes in the plastic any sooner than 24 hours ahead of planting at the end of the required 2 week waiting period for methyl bromide:chloropicrin.

More info on VIF (virtually impermeable film) plastic and punching holes. Growers have shown concern with using water wheel equipment or the bicycle wheel for punching holes. Dr. Poling states: "We are not aware of any issues with punching holes through VIF plastic with water wheel equipment or the bicycle wheel (uses a protruding 1" bolt from wheel to punch a small hole). As one veteran in Florida told me this morning, in the early stages growers "wonder" about this problem, but apparently there has been no problem experienced in Florida with punching holes through VIF vs. standard poly film. I also called out to Clayton and Kirby Jones could not recall any problem last year (we used a water wheel to punch holes for plugs last fall). In any case, we do not believe the bicycle wheel will be a problem either with the 1 inch bolt - about 3/4 inch of the bolt protrudes from the wheel for punching the plastic. And, if a problem is encountered, you can fill the bicycle wheel with water."
If you would like to purchase a bicycle unit they cost about $550. Contact me for the phone number of Ronnie Martin, a grower who is making these units. Dr. Poling uses these units for his experiments.
*Special thanks to Dr. Poling and Sam Harrell for their advice and expertise.*

Bramble Fungicide Sprays

As a result of the rain last week and the possibility of more rain from Gustav, Hanna and Ike, blackberry and raspberry growers should think about disease control options. Dr. Gina Fernandez of the horticulure department at NCSU was kind enough to pass along some information from Plant Pathologists Dr. Phil Brannen (UGA) and Dr. Turner Sutton (NCSU).

From Phil Brannen big issues for FLORICANE fruiting types:
1. Pruning wounds and cane blight. Dr. Brannen recommends suspending pruning until dry conditions are predicted for several days. Applications of Prisitine or another broad-spectrum fungicide to pruning wounds after each day of pruning is recommended.
2. Leaf spots. Leaf spots will also likely develop and early defoliation due to pathogens like Septoria and others is possible, so a preventative spray ahead of heavy sustained rains may be helpful. A broad-spectrum material, like Prisitine, would be good for control of these pathogens with application 24-h prior to rains being the ideal.
3. Orange cane blotch. Dr. Brannen suggests the consideration of copper application both ahead of and following the storms in order to suppress orange cane blotch. Copper materials are not great, but they are still the best products available for the algal disease.
4. Phytophthora. If winds are severe, tearing of roots and the entry of Phytophthora is possible. Application of ProPhyt or other Phosphonate materials are recommended. Where possible, drip-applied Ridomil Gold either before or after the rain can be used.

From Turner Sutton big issues for PRIMOCANE fruiting raspberries and blackberries:
"Anyone with fruit needs to spray asap if they haven't already. (As soon as it stopped raining would have been an ideal time)."
1. Botrytis and other fruit rots. CaptEvate (a broad-spectrum fungicide with a 3-day phi) may be a good choice than a botrytis-specific fungicide. Alternatively, Captan + a botrytis fungicide can be applied (check the phi).
2. Leaf spots. Monitor leaves of primocanes closely (at least weekly) for leaf spots or rusts. You do not want to lose a lot of leaves before frost to predispose then to winter injury. If rust is not a problem, Captan is okay and is the least expensive.
3. Phytophthora. Phytophthora is typically not a problem until the soils cool in late Sept/Oct, unless you are in very heavy wet soils. Sutton also recommends a phosphite foliar spray at this time.
*Thanks to Dr. Fernandez, Dr. Sutton and Dr. Brannen for this great information. As always, follow manufacturers' guidelines on the fungicide label.*

Water, water everywhere!

We finally received some rain and boy did we need it! But, of course when it rains it pours. Below are 3 issues that cause concern with excessive rainfall.

1. Equipment. Please make sure that if there is heavy rain that equipment gets moved to a place where it cannot be damaged. I know a few growers who took the time to move their irrigation pumps further up the banks to accommodate the flowing rivers and creeks and I hope that everyone was able to do this in a timely fashion.

2. Flooding. With large amounts of rain flooding of fields from river, creek or stream water is a major concern. I am sure that you all remember Hurricanes Frances and Ivan! Because there is no way of knowing what kinds of contaminants are found in flood waters, crops that have been flooded CANNOT be harvested and sold for human consumption. A chlorine rinse is NOT adequate to guarantee safety of the produce. Crops intended for human consumption are considered contaminated if they have been covered with flood waters from rivers, creeks or streams. Growers should distinguish between rainwater that accumulates on a field because of excessive rainfall versus fields covered by flood waters from risen rivers, creeks or streams.
Here is a link from the Food Science Dept. at NCSU:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/foodsci/ext/pubs/salvagingfloodedcrops.PDF

If you would like more information about food safety of flooded crops or have any questions please contact me and I will do my best to provide you with assistance.

3. Disease. Be on the look out for diseases that are favored by cool and wet conditions such as Late Blight of tomato and potato, Phytophthora Blight or root rot and Downy Mildew of cucurbits. If you think you have a disease problem make sure to get it positively identified so that we can get you on an appropriate spray program (if necessary or applicable). There have been no reports of Late Blight, yet, but Downy Mildew of cucurbits has been reported on cucumber in the WNC.

*Thanks to Dr. Jeanine Davis and Diane Ducharme for passing along great information about food safety issues in flooded fields.