Conditions are quite dry across the state. Insect issues persist and viruses are common in cucurbits this season.
South Carolina Grower
The South Carolina Grower provides current fruit, vegetable, and other specialty crop news from around South Carolina. Visit regularly for field updates, pest alerts, meeting announcements, and more.
South Carolina Grower Update | August 26, 2024
Pests on cucurbits at this time of year include squash bugs, pickleworm, melonworm, whiteflies, and downy mildew.
South Carolina Cantaloupe 2023 Crop Stats
Extension Agents throughout South Carolina surveyed growers on specialty crop acreage for the year. The goal was to identify the counties of production, acreage, and observable market prices for the year. In this round of surveys, data was collected for 14 fruit and vegetable crops including cantaloupe. See more crop stats on the Clemson Agribusiness page.
South Carolina Grower Update | August 12, 2024
As our late-summer and fall plantings get underway, keep in mind two cucurbit insect pests that worsen around this time: whiteflies and caterpillars.
South Carolina Grower Update | August 5, 2024
Winds and rain from Hurricane Debby may bring fungal spores or bacterial cells into fields in South Carolina. Before the rain starts, cucumber, cantaloupe, pumpkin, and watermelon crops should be sprayed with a fungicide to protect them from downy mildew
South Carolina Grower Update | July 31, 2024
South Carolina Grower Update | July 15, 2024
After harvest, high numbers of nematodes were observed in some SC vegetable fields. Nematode management for the next vegetable crop should start as soon as the current crop is done.
South Carolina Grower Update | July 8, 2024
Cucurbit crops finished quickly this year due to the heat and high levels of gummy stem blight. As the temperatures continue to rise, conditions are prime for many vegetable diseases. Lowcountry growers are seeing sunburned melons. It will be important to be vigilant for downy mildew and powdery mildew on pumpkins that just went into the ground last week.
