By Andi Anderson
Michigan’s vegetable crops are developing under cooler-than-normal conditions, with mixed rainfall across regions. Soil moisture is low in parts of the east-central Lower Peninsula, with high temperatures expected to rise by the weekend.
MSU Extension released a new vegetable fertilizer planning guide, helping farmers understand soil chemistry, fertilizer types, and economics—especially useful for beginning growers.
Crop Updates:
- Asparagus: Apply fungicides on ferned plantings. Prevent herbicide drift with coarse nozzles, low booms, and wind awareness.
- Brassicas: Early broccoli harvests are starting. Diamondback moths have appeared. Bt products and selective insecticides help manage caterpillars while protecting beneficial insects.
- Carrots & Celery: Aster leafhopper infectivity remains high. Use sweep net data and thresholds to guide insecticide application decisions.
- Cucurbits: Cucumber beetles and sandblasting damage noted. Monitor for Phytophthora capsici in wet conditions.
- Fruiting Vegetables: Tomatoes and peppers are flowering. Trellising and pre-emergent weed control are underway.
- Onions & Garlic: Fungicide applications continue. Avoid resistance with rotation and tank mixes.
- Sweet Corn: Silking is near. Set up corn earworm traps and monitor migration risks using online tools.
- Root Crops & Strawberries: Potatoes are flowering. Strawberries are reaching markets, with more expected soon.
Food Safety & Research:
MSU invites farms to schedule On-Farm Readiness Reviews and participate in a soil moisture monitoring study running through 2028.
Events:
Upcoming MSU events include field days, workshops, scouting schools, and seed treatment webinars—all aimed at supporting Michigan growers.
Stay updated on pests, weather, and crop health by visiting MSU Extension’s websites and subscribing to alerts.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-zbynek-pospisil
Categories: Michigan, Education