NH Vegetable & Fruit News
Published by our Vegetable & Fruit Team, this blog shares the latest news and research about vegetable and fruit production in the state and beyond. You can receive email notifications when we post new articles by subscribing to our newsletter.
Subscribe to the NH Vegetable & Fruit News
(For posts before 2018, see NH Vegetable & Fruit News archives).
The beginning of March marks the start of pruning season for New Hampshire gardeners and home orchardists. This time of year is also when UNH Extension typically offers in-person pruning...
Read moreResearchers at the University of Rhode Island are currently distributing an online survey about fresh market sweet corn. If you grow fresh market sweet corn you are eligible to...
Read moreJust in from the Kiwiberry research and breeding program at UNH, I'm sharing three important updates:
Hiring a Vineyard Manager The incredible Will Hastings, instrumental...
Read moreIn December 2020, we held the Northern New England High Tunnel Conference, online this year. For those who weren't able to attend, we recorded all the sessions, and they are available for you to...
Read moreSignup for CFAP 2 began September 21 and runs through December 11, 2020, for the second round of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payments (CFAP 2...
Read moreThe Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners (MOFGA) Farmer to Farmer Conference is going online this year, so this is a unique opportunity for farmers around New England to attend that wouldn't...
Read moreMeg McGrath, Cornell University Plant Pathologist based in Long Island, recently (October 2020) received reports of spinach downy mildew in New England and New York states.
The pathogen...
Read moreThis year only: we’re taking the High Tunnel conference online for three weekly evening sessions. One low price ($25) will enable you to attend all three sessions.
Want to fine-tune your...
Read moreAs part of a new Northeast SARE project “Advancing Strawberry Production in the Northeast”, we want to learn more about the practices you use and the challenges you face in strawberry...
Read moreCalling all farmers who have innovative ideas to improve the sustainability of farm practices! Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) Farmer Grants are now open for...
Read moreIf you have fall brassica crops, it is a good idea to scout now for cabbage aphid. Cabbage aphid, sometimes called “gray aphid”, can be a significant problem on fall brassica crops, especially...
Read moreGiven that a vine-ripened cantaloupe (muskmelon) is one of the most divine treats of summer, it is surprising that few northern New England gardeners grow them. After a couple of unsuccessful...
Read moreDid you miss our July 29th virtual twilight meeting on "Managing Humidity and Condensation in Coolers"? We recorded it so you can view it...
Read moreI am frequently contacted by owners of agricultural businesses in the state and region who would like to hire UNH students. There are a few ways for you to connect with these students, and here’s...
Read moreThis season has turned out to be challenging, to say the least, for many orchardist across the state who have worked hard to keep this bacterial disease under control. With a prolonged bloom...
Read moreOur colleagues at the UMASS vegetable team just sent this alert at 1pm Friday, 7/24/2020: Cucurbit downy mildew was confirmed on cucumbers in Franklin County, MA this morning. Disease was just...
Read moreThere are many sources on the internet that advertise control of fungus, mites, or insects by burning sulfur. This results in sulfur dioxide gas, which can mix with moisture on plants to form an...
Read moreMeasuring the foliar nutrient levels allows fruit growers to evaluate results from past fertilization and gives the most reliable data on which to base recommendations for future fertility...
Read moreWe've been getting many calls about problems with pre-emergent and other soil-applied herbicides and it sounds like this dry weather has a role to play. Click on these links to listen in to our...
Read moreUNH Extension is working with the NH Winery Association to try to get an accurate assessment of how many grapes, and of what varieties, are being grown in the state - and where these grapes are...
Read moreA new report has been confirmed this summer in Grafton County, by our state entomologist, Piera Siegert. Please let us know if you have damage that you believe is caused by leek moth....
Read more
Fire blight outbreaks have been reported from several orchards around NH. The outbreaks likely occurred on unprotected blossoms during the extremely high-risk periods at the end of...
This month the CDC released Interim Guidance designed to help agricultural workers and...
Read moreTrapping data – Traps are out on farms throughout the state, and we’re monitoring for squash vine borer...
Read moreOne likely answer is the ‘B’ gene. This gene, also called “precocious yellow”, causes the stem of the squash to be yellow rather than green. Oved Shifriss, a plant breeder with Rutgers University...
Read moreToday’s episode of Spotlight on Research focuses on a paper published in the journal Horticultural Entomology in 2014. A pair of researchers from Eastern Illinois University conducted a study on...
Read moreWelcome to Spotlight on Research! Every year, researchers publish thousands of studies and in hundreds of journals – and most aren’t really accessible to the general public. In...
Read moreDuring this recent spell of continued cold weather, many sites experienced some pretty cold temperatures just as our fruit crops are in bud, in full bloom or even at petal fall.
If you are...
Read moreWhat to Clean, What to Sanitize and What to Disinfect
The differences between cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection were described in Part One. The online guidance for...
Read moreTrying to stay well and protect our homes and businesses from infection with COVID-19 can be nerve-wracking. The precautionary steps we need to take can be confusing and sometimes seem conflicting...
Read moreWelcome to Spotlight on Research! Every year, researchers publish thousands of studies and in hundreds of journals – and most aren’t really accessible to the general public. In...
Read moreBroad mites can cause serious economic injury to a wide range of crops, including annuals, cut flowers, small fruit crops and a wide range of other fruiting vegetable crops. However, we’ve been...
Read morePick-your-own is a key marketing strategy for many NH farms, and it is an important way for farmers to connect directly with their customers. While many farmers are reporting increasing demand for...
Read moreThe Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule § 112.22(c) requires ‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training...
Read moreIago Hale, UNH professor and kiwiberry breeder, recently provided us with his latest updates for commercial production of kiwiberry (aka hardy kiwi).
Variety recommendations and...
Read moreThe NH Fruit Growers’ Association Annual Meeting, originally scheduled for March 19, featured a jam-packed schedule including presentations about pollinator protection, invasive insect management...
Read moreDial Fruit Pest Hotline (603-862-3763)
Anna Wallingford here, your new extension specialist in entomology and IPM! I’ve been calculating my...
Read moreUNH Extension will host an online forum (using Zoom) for New Hampshire farmers to discuss how they are adapting in these uncertain times, due to COVID-19. Participation by phone is...
Read moreCommunity supported agriculture (CSA) has long been a successful way for New Hampshire growers to supply their local community with fresh and healthy product. This will continue to be true amid...
Read moreThe information here is intended to help guide the fruit and vegetable farming community in the face of COVID-19. If you have concerns or additional suggestions please contact the UNH Extension...
Read moreThe NH Department of Agriculture Division of Weights and Measures is once again offering a series of scale clinics around the state. Scale clinics are for businesses that grow and sell their own...
Read moreIn November 2019, we posted an update about hemp production in NH in this blog, and promised additional updates as they...
Read moreDr. Tom Davis (UNH Professor of Plant Biology/Genetics) would like to study evolved resistance to glyphosate-containing herbicides (i.e., Roundup). He would like to document the occurrence of...
Read moreThe annual NH Winery Association Educational Workshop was held on Feb 12, 2020. It focused on viticulture and practices to successfully grow cold-hardy grapes in the morning, and oenology with a...
Read moreBlackbirds and starlings can be a severe problem in sweet corn; the birds shred the husks and peck the kernels, rendering the ears unmarketable. Even more frustrating, losses occur just before...
Read moreThe majority of produce farms in NH are “Qualified Exempt” under the guidelines for the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)'s Produce Safety Rule (PSR). Being qualified exempt means you have...
Read moreIn March 2019, we wrote a blog post here describing the current status of hemp production in the state. You can read...
Read moreSpotted wing drosophila (SWD) is an invasive fly that has become a serious pest of small fruit crops, like blueberries, raspberries, and day neutral strawberries.
In this webinar, members...
Read moreUnlike traditional June-bearing strawberries, day-neutral varieties are less affected by daylength and initiate flowers as long as temperatures remain approximately 40–85°F. Also unlike June-...
Read moreRegistration is now open for the 2019 New England Vegetable & Fruit Conference and Trade Show. The event will take place December 10-12, 2019 in Manchester NH.
This...
Read moreAre you a vegetable farmer already using tarps? Or are you wondering if and how tarps could work best on your farm?
The Cornell Small Farms Program and University of Maine Cooperative...
Read moreCabbage aphid, sometimes called ‘gray aphid’ because of its’ waxy gray appearance, is a major pest of brassica crops. It has been particularly problematic in fall crops, especially during recent...
Read moreYes, you read it correctly. If you have tomato leaf mold, Chris Smart and her team at Cornell are studying this pathogen; and she needs samples. She also would like samples of bacterial canker,...
Read moreSpotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) flies are being caught in traps in southern NH, ME, and...
Read moreSquash vine borer traps in southern New Hampshire continue to capture very high numbers, one of the highest and latest populations we’ve seen in the past decade. Pumpkins and many squash...
Read moreTomato hornworms are voracious feeders and older larvae can do quite a bit of damage to tomatoes and related crops. These older larvae are easy to identify by the stripes on their sides and their...
Read moreIt's time for both berry and tree commercial fruit growers to collect leaf samples so a foliar (leaf) nutrient analysis can be made. Measuring the foliar nutrient levels allows fruit growers to...
Read moreLet us know if leek moth is affecting you by responding to this survey: https://forms.gle/wFeoqPcxERrF7aAe8
While leek moth is not found in...
Read moreDo you have pest problems with your Brassica crops? We can help. The Brassica Pest Collaborative (BPC) is a project funded by Northeast-SARE that brings together Extension educators and...
Read moreFarm food safety is an important topic whether or not your farm is covered under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). In response to numerous questions, UNH Cooperative Extension’s Food...
Read moreUNH Cooperative Extension collaborates with our colleagues in the New England states to bring you a regularly updated Tree Fruit Management Guide for...
Read moreLast year, we compared yields of eggplant varieties in high tunnel production conditions. We specifically chose to focus on elongated types and to include new parthenocarpic varieties...
Read moreWe are asking for your participation in a survey on local food distribution being conducted by the UNH Department of Natural Resources. We invite commercial fruit and vegetable farmers like you to...
Read moreDial Fruit Pest Hotline (603-862-3763)
Anna Wallingford here, your new extension specialist in entomology and IPM...
Read moreWe have recently updated the prices of the soil & tissue tests offered by UNH Extension. We continually work to keep the program as affordable as possible, with this being the first price...
Read moreThe NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food (Department) and UNH Cooperative Extension have been fielding inquiries about growing hemp in the state. On December 20, 2018, the president...
Read moreBrassica crops are not only an essential part of most farms' offerings, they are also on the menu for a whole suite of pests. Whether it's caterpillars, flea beetles, cabbage aphids or cabbage...
Read moreHave you considered growing kiwiberry (aka hardy kiwi)? If so, there is a brand new resource full of excellent local knowledge that can help you succeed. Dr. Iago Hale’s lab has just released...
Read moreThe 2019 Meeting of the NH Vegetable and Berry Growers' Association (NHVBGA) took place on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019 in Manchester NH. The full program, along with links to presentations, is now...
Read moreIn January 2018, the NH Winery Association and UNH Cooperative Extension co-sponsored this practical workshop for NH vineyardists and winemakers. Our featured speakers were Dave and Chris Stamp,...
Read moreWe are asking NH Tree Fruit Orchardists to complete an on-line survey about accessing printed or web-based production information and support from Extension. Help Extension determine the most...
Read moreThe NH Vegetable and Berry Growers' Association annual educational meeting offers a full schedule of presentations on an array of interesting topics, as well as 3.5 recertification credits for...
Read moreNEVBGA & Cooperative Extension 599th Growers’ Meeting will take place on Saturday, February 9, 2019 - 8:30am to 4:00pm, at the Hudson-Concord Elks Lodge, 99 Park Street, Hudson, MA 01749
... Read moreThe second biennial Northern New England High Tunnel Conference took place on Dec. 3-4, 2018, in Manchester. This program was co-sponsored by the Universities of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont...
Read moreAlthough the window has passed for seeding cover crops for this year, it's never too early to think about how you can use cover crops next growing season. Recently, Carroll County Extension Field...
Read moreThose interested in the commercial production of kiwiberries, seedless table grapes, and fall-bearing strawberries are invited to the annual “Under the Vines” Field Day from 5 to...
Read moreWithin the last week (August 15, 2018), cucurbit downy mildew (CDM) has been positively identified in Massachusetts in Franklin County, bordering VT and NH.
CDM symptoms begin as vein-...
Read moreOne of the main benefits to growing tomatoes in high tunnels or greenhouses is that the plants avoid many fungal diseases that plague field-grown tomatoes, such as Septoria leaf spot (Septoria...
Read moreOur network of sweet corn insect traps has detected a major corn earworm flight. Most of our traps are in Hillsborough and Merrimack Counties, so we have no data for the seacoast or Lakes region....
Read moreWe’re seeing potato leafhoppers throughout much of NH now, and it’s time to scout your fields. These can cause serious damage on their favorite host crops, so now is the time to scout and manage...
Read moreSpotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) flies are being caught in traps in CT, MA and RI in low...
Read moreThose who grow crops in the Brassica family are likely familiar with the cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae, sometimes referred to by growers as “gray aphid”. It is often a significant...
Read moreThis brand-new 25-page guide provides an introduction to low tunnel systems, and shares lots of construction and management tips for low tunnel strawberry production, based largely on work...
Read moreJoin us at Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis, NH to learn more about the use of retractable low tunnel flex systems, plastic mulch layers and irrigation systems and how they can be used to help...
Read moreWhile wild grapevines are pervasive throughout New England, they often go unnoticed through much of the year even as they climb over stone walls and up into tree canopies. That is, until the week...
Read moreThis may be the most common question I receive about spinach production: What are the little white spheres that I’m seeing on the leaves? They rub off...
Read moreJoin us on Thursday, April 26, from 4:30-6:30pm for a twilight meeting focusing on organic vegetable transplanting production. In addition to running a successful diversified CSA...
Read moreJoin us on April 19th to dig-in on soil health! This on-farm twilight meeting at Heron Pond Farm in South Hampton will highlight how to build and improve soil...
Read morePicking a market channel for your agricultural products can be a daunting experience. Instead of hopping on the bandwagon or just going with your gut feeling, take time to understand the market...
Read moreIn the last few years, New Hampshire growers have experienced some significant leafminer infestations on spinach, swiss chard and beet. The beet leafminer (Pegomya betae Curtis) and the...
Read moreDo you grow broccoli, kale, and other cruciferous (cole) vegetable crops on your farm? Are you familiar with swede midge, a new invasive pest?
If so, we need your help....
Read moreThe 2017 New England Vegetable & Fruit Conference and Trade Show took place between December 12-14, 2017 in Manchester, NH. It was organized over a period of two years by a committee that...
Read moreU.S. consumers are likely most familiar with the golden cured rhizomes of mature ginger (Zingiber officinale). Growers in the northeastern U.S. have been successfully producing "baby...
Read moreAlan Eaton has had a long and productive career with UNH Cooperative Extension, and as of December 2017, he has retired! We will all miss him enormously. We invite all of the farmers, gardeners,...
Read moreIn New Hampshire, if you apply pesticides on crops for sale and you employ workers, you need a private pesticide applicator’s license. This is true whether you apply general use or ...
Read moreThe 2018 meeting of the NH Vegetable and Berry Growers' Association was co-sponsored by UNH Cooperative Extension, and took place in Manchester during the annual N.H. Farm & Forest Expo. ...
Read moreRecent research at the NH Agricultural Experiment Station showed that grafted melon plants showed excellent resistance to sudden wilt, outstanding vigor, and increased yields of very high quality...
Read moreSwede midge (Contarinia nasturtii) is a serious invasive pest of Brassica crops, including broccoli, cabbage and kale. Swede midge was first identified in the U...
Read moreIn January 2018, the NH Winery Association and UNH Cooperative Extension co-sponsored this practical workshop focused on managing important vineyard diseases, with support from an IPM Grant from...
Read more