Vegetable Scouting Report: September 24, 2025

Alliums: Allium leafminer (ALM) remains active in eastern New York. Insect netting or row cover should remain on allium crops through the entire fall flight or up to harvest.  In the Hudson Valley, the fall flight of ALM began around Sept. 5.  Insecticides are most effective for managing ALM when applied 2-4 weeks after the beginning of the flight. More information on the lifecycle and management of ALM can be found here.

Cucurbits: The fungal Black Rot disease can cause significant losses in winter squash and pumpkin.  Spots on fruit begin as brownish water-soaked areas and later the rind becomes black and wrinkled. On butternut squash, the spots develop into large irregular areas with distinct concentric rings. Avoiding harvest injury and curing pumpkin and squash at 85 F for two weeks before storage can help prevent infections.