Announcement:  Our vegetable blog posts will shift to every –other– week schedule for the fall season. We know how important it is to get timely information. So, in the event of an important news item, we will send an email alert directly to your inbox and update the blog. Please check in regularly!

 

Upcoming Events: Save the date! On Oct. 21, we will hold a cover crop field afternoon at the Cornell Willsboro Research Farm in Essex County. We will view two winter cover cropping experiments at the farm, including overwintered high tunnel cover crops and a winter pea variety trial, and a drone seeding demonstration.

 

Alliums: The fall flight of allium leafminer (ALM) will likely begin the first or second week of September. Growers intending to use exclusion netting should cover fall alliums now ensuring that there are no gaps between the soil and the netting. Insecticides are most effective for managing ALM when applied 2-4 weeks after the beginning of the flight; keep an eye out for future updates on the start of ALM activity for timing applications. More information on the lifecycle and management of ALM can be found here. 

 

Brassicas: Late season cole crops, especially cabbage, are still at risk of damage from a sequence of four caterpillar pests. Diamondback moth (DBM) caterpillars have been active in the Hudson Valley and can often be identified by their characteristic forked tail. Proper identification of caterpillar species is not simply an academic exercise; DBM populations are largely resistant to pyrethroid chemistries (IRAC group 3A).  Given this fact, it is critical that growers use best resistance management practices when managing DBM throughout the year. For more information on caterpillar ID, resistance management and organic options, click here.