Fruit
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A new study out of the University of California, Davis, discussed earlier in September in Fruit Growers News shows that California grape growers in coastal areas can use less water during times of drought and cut irrigation levels without affecting crop yields or quality. According to FGN, “The findings, published Sept. 1 in the journal…
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An article by Brad Haire in today’s Southeast Farm Press described the limited improvements that irrigation made this year to crop yields because of the very wet conditions. In general, fields with sandier soil did better this year because the excess water was able to drain away more quickly. Impacts on corn, cotton, and peanuts…
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The temperature at the Seattle-Tacoma airport hit 100 F today. Tomorrow and Monday are supposed to be even hotter. The heat wave out west has the potential to break all-time record high temperatures at many places in the northwestern US. Understandably, farmers are worried about the consequences of the heat on their crops. Cherries in…
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The watermelon season is upon us, and according to Clint Thompson in Vegetable and Specialty Crop News, it looks like it will be a sweet and delicious year! The climate conditions for developing high-brix (sugar) watermelons have been almost perfect, with high temperatures, little rain, and lots of sunshine. You can read more at https://vscnews.com/watermelon-quality-brix-georgia-florida/.…
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I was shopping at the grocery store this week and found my first Georgia peaches of the year packed and ready to go. The ones I bought were a little small and firm, but they look and taste good. Vegetable and Specialty Crop News posted a story this week quoting UGA Extension agent Jeff Cook…
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Georgia’s warm and humid climate is conducive to the development of fungal diseases in all types of crops. We have been fairly dry lately, so have not seen too much disease in the crops until now. But with a return to more humid, and (hopefully) more rainy conditions, the likelihood of crops like grapes developing…
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Impacts from our two April freezes are continuing to come in. Peach producers have been surprised to see some of the biggest impacts have been on late-blooming peaches, rather than the early varieties which were farther along. Losses could amount to 30 to 40% of a full crop. But it is still better than the…