What Is It? Wednesday – Corn Earworm
This is a corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea) boring into a tomato. This common caterpillar pest is known by other names, including tomato fruitworm, cotton bollworm, and soybean podworm. Corn earworms are...
View ArticleSC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – November 20, 2023
From the SC Grower crew, we hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving later this week! Be sure to eat lots of fresh SC grown collard greens and sweetpotatoes! Coastal Region Zack Snipes We...
View ArticleSC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – November 27, 2023
Coastal Region Zack Snipes We finally got some rain to speak of over the holiday. The cooler weather and rain have really put the fall crops into gear. I have not seen or heard of many disease or...
View ArticleWhat Is It? Wednesday – Armyworm Egg Mass
This is an armyworm egg mass on a tomato leaf, possibly from the beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua). The beet armyworm is a pest of vegetables across the Southern US. In warm weather, these eggs will...
View ArticleSC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – 12/4/23
Today’s update will be our final update of 2023. With things slowing down in the field, we will take some time to focus on other projects, and the Weekly Field Updates will resume in January. We hope...
View ArticleWhat Is It? Wednesday – Wireworm Damage
While picking out the ingredients for my Thanksgiving sweetpotato casserole, I found this sweetpotato full of holes. The holes are tell-tale signs of wireworm feeding. Wireworms are the soil-dwelling...
View ArticleWhat Is It? Wednesday- Swinecress
This cool-season weed called swinecress (Coronopus didymus) was found coming up in a mustard field. As a seedling, swinecress grows in a rosette, as seen here. As it matures and begins to flower, it...
View ArticleSC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report- January 22, 2024
Happy 2024! We’re back and ready for another great year of growing fruit and veggies! We hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year. Don’t forget to look at our resources tab for links to crop...
View ArticleSC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report- January 29, 2024
Coastal Region Zack Snipes We had a week of warm weather after a cold snap. I have seen an uptick in black rot in brassicas. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything anyone can do, conventionally or...
View ArticleWhat Is It? Wednesday – Cold Damage on Citrus
These citrus leaves are showing symptoms of cold injury. This tree is part of a study at the Sandhill REC in Columbia looking at 9 varieties of citrus that are believed to have improved cold tolerance....
View ArticleSC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – February 19, 2024
Also, check out the latest episode of the SC Grower Exchange Podcast below. The next episode will be recorded today (2/19). Midlands Region Phillip Carnley Strawberries are looking good around the...
View ArticleQuestion of the Week – Henbit
What is this cool-season weed that is turning fallow fields purple right now? This is henbit (Lamium amplexicaule). This annual cool-season weed germinates in the fall and grows throughout the winter....
View ArticleQuestion of the Week – Brown Lacewing
What is this critter that was found resting on the wall inside of a garage? This is another beneficial insect: a brown lacewing. Brown lacewings are smaller than the more common green lacewings, though...
View ArticleQuestion of the Week – Periodical Cicada
What is this red-eyed creature found crawling up a pine tree? This is a periodical cicada nymph that has just crawled out of the soil after 13 years of feeding and developing underground and is now...
View ArticleQuestion of the Week – Stink Bugs
What has caused this gelatinous substance to ooze from a developing peach? This gelatinous substance is often called “gummosis” and can be caused by a number of things, such as disease, mechanical...
View ArticleQuestion of the Week – Rice Trunk
What is this piece of equipment used for? This piece of equipment is called a trunk and was historically used to manipulate the water levels in rice fields along the coast of South Carolina. The fields...
View ArticleQuestion of the Week – Black Swallowtail Caterpillar
What is munching on this dill? This caterpillar is the larval form of the Eastern black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes asterius). This is a beautiful species of butterfly that is common in the...
View ArticleQuestion of the Week – Morning Glory Prominent Caterpillar
What kind of caterpillar is feeding on this buckeye leaf? This is the caterpillar of the morning glory prominent moth (Schizura ipomaeae). While the adult moth is rather nondescript, the caterpillar is...
View ArticleQuestion of the Week – Rocky Shoals Spider Lily
What is this flower that was found growing on a rock in the middle of a river? This is a rocky shoals spider lily (Hymenocallis coronaria). This species is endemic to the Southeast and grows only in...
View ArticleQuestion of the Week – TSWV
What is going on with this Roma tomato? The tie-dye appearance of this tomato is due to it being infected by tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). TSWV is an important virus of tomato, pepper, eggplant,...
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