Recent Posts

  • Cotton Maturity

    Our last effective bloom date (the last day a flower is likely to mature into a harvestable boll) is right around September 15 (next week). So unless it has been blooming for 2 weeks or more, I’m not sure I’d chase it. The other question is how much more money you want to put into…

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  • Peanut Maturity

    I checked several samples of 06Gs, TifNV-HGs, and one set of 52s. They are all showing maturity in the mid-140 range for the April-planted irrigated crop. Even for DG913, we had several reports last year that they were early; so far, the ones I have looked at have been on time. I spoke with Dr.…

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  • As the harvest season gets underway, we invite you to join us for our Bless the Harvest Breakfast at the Tift County Extension Office. This will be a time for our local agricultural community to come together, enjoy breakfast and fellowship, and offer a prayer for a safe and successful harvest season. We hope you…

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  • Cotton: We have been getting hammered by whiteflies and spider mites. Spider mites can be cleaned up with some abamectin. The whiteflies have just overwhelmed us. After talking with Dr. Roberts this week, his graduate students counted sticky cards every Monday morning in several surrounding counties, and ours were in the thousands. People have been…

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  • Cotton: Jassid populations remain low, with only a few adults being observed; however, false jassids are becoming much more common. Silverleaf whitefly (SLWF) numbers are beginning to increase; you should stay ahead of infestations. Once whitefly populations build, control becomes much more difficult and costly. Late-planted cotton is at greater risk than early-planted cotton. This…

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  • Cotton: Areolate mildew is well established in at least one cotton field in the area. Given our current environmental conditions, including high humidity, dense canopies, and intermittent rainfall, this disease has the potential to develop rapidly. Fungicide applications are recommended where areolate mildew is present to help protect yield potential. In the past, azoxystrobin has…

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  • The Middle South Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District invites producers, landowners, community members, and elected officials to attend From Forest to Fields: A Conservation Field Day & Lunch on Thursday, August 13, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Ken & Brian Ponder’s Farm in Tifton, Georgia. The event will feature interactive conservation…

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  • Peanuts: Dr. Abney mentioned that he has received several reports over the past two weeks of beet armyworm (BAW) infestations in Georgia peanut fields, particularly in the southwest region of the state. While we’re on the outskirts of the SW region, I strongly encourage everyone to scout regularly for BAW and other insect pests, especially…

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  • Southern Rust 2026

    The first southern rust of the year has just been detected in Coffee County. If your corn has reached the hard dough stage, you are good; if you are at the tassel, silking, or pollinating stage, I would consider spraying. Single-mode-of-action products (Tilt, Domark, Teb) will give about 2 weeks of protection. Mixed-mode-of-action products (Headline…

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  • Peanuts: This season has been especially challenging, with conditions shifting from extreme drought in May to excessive rainfall in mid-June and then back to extreme heat last week. The good news is that the dry conditions likely encouraged strong root development in most fields. As we move into July, peanuts planted in early May are…

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