East Michigan vegetable regional report – August 31, 2016

Ben Phillips<benp@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

Harvest is slowing down for some crops and starting for others.

Crops

Storage onions in Imlay City, Michigan, are starting to move. Digging started two weeks ago, and harvest has been ongoing.

Cauliflower is in various stages of tying and harvest. Quality has been best where wrapper leaves are free of tip burn. The latest plantings are 10 inches tall.

Cabbages are being cut and boxed across the region. Quality has been good. Swede midge catch spiked on some traps over the last two weeks, but I have not seen much damage. Earlier in the year, trap catches were low, but damage was easy to spot.

Peppers in areas of heavy rainfall have been succumbing to various fruit rots. Eggplants and peppers in east Michigan have been diagnosed with broad mites that caused twisted leaves and fruit scarring.

Tomatoes are starting to die-off, and last pickings have had more soft rots and anthracnose after the rains.

Fresh market potatoes are harvestable in many regions, and they continue to be dug on demand.

Powdery mildew pressure in hard squash and pumpkin has increased. Lots of acorn, turban, buttercup, spaghetti, butternut and delicata squash are on market tables.

Melon and watermelon harvest continues. Sprite melons are an interesting variety I see sold around Lapeer, Michigan.

Pickling cucumbers are scheduled to finish up harvest by Sept. 16, but most will be finishing about a week before then.

Special events

Please contact me at phill406@msu.edu or 616-901-7513 to grab any suspected disease samples from your farm, or send the diseased plant parts to MSU Diagnostic Services.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Did you find this article useful?

You Might Also Be Interested In

Tag List
  • agriculture,
  • cole crops,
  • cucumbers,
  • msu extension,
  • onions,
  • peppers,
  • potatoes,
  • pumpkins,
  • squash,
  • tomatoes,
  • vegetables
Michigan State University
  • Spartans Will.
  • © Michigan State University

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer, committed to achieving excellence through a diverse workforce and inclusive culture that encourages all people to reach their full potential.

Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Quentin Tyler, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing, MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.

The 4-H Name and Emblem have special protections from Congress, protected by code 18 USC 707.

We comply with the Federal Trade Commission 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).