Summer Squash Production in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Figure 11. Purple nutsedge emergence through plastic mulch in squash. Credits: Peter J. Dittmar
Summer squash is an important vegetable crop in Miami-Dade County. It is grown annually on about 6,000 acres and sold nationwide during the winter in the fresh market. This 16-page fact sheet describes the varieties of summer squash, land preparation and transplanting, what fertilizer to use, irrigation and freeze protection, disease management, insect management, weed management, harvest, and crop rotation. Written by D. Seal, S. Zhang, M. Ozores-Hampton, P. Dittmar, Y. Li, W. Klassen, Q. Wang, and T. Olczyk and published by the Horticultural Sciences Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/tr012

Pest Management of Peppers in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Figure 1.  Bacterial spot on pepper leaves. Credit: Shouan Zhang
Pest management of peppers in Miami-Dade County is challenging because of a climate favorable to pests. To assist local pepper growers in maintaining crop productivity and improving the quality of produce, this publication illustrates common pests including major diseases and insects and recommends Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, including host resistance, cultivation, sanitation, and physical, mechanical, biological, and chemical approaches, for effective pest management. This 8-page fact sheet was written by Qingren Wang, Shouan Zhang, Dakshina Seal, and Teresa Olczyk, and published by the UF Department of Plant Pathology, February 2015. (Photo: Shouan Zhang)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp316

Pepper Production in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Figure 12. Bhut Jolokia pepper. Credit: Qingren WangPepper is an important vegetable crop in Miami-Dade County. Unlike other vegetable crops, peppers are relatively more adaptable to the environment, especially the heat, and are relatively easier to grow. But to be successful, careful attention must be paid to maintain healthy plants and high productivity with efficient management of soil and water for the particular needs of each variety or cultivar. This 7-page fact sheet provides general information and guidelines for pepper growers in Miami-Dade County, including major pepper varieties, and their horticultural traits, and fundamental soil and water management requirements. Written by Qingren Wang, Shouan Zhang, Yuncong Li, Dakshina Seal, Waldemar Klassen, and Teresa Olczyk, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, February 2015.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/tr010

Consuming local vegetables from our local growers

Figure 1.  Fruit and vegetable stand on Krome Avenue in Homestead.In recent years, consumers increasingly are seeking out locally grown foods, due to concern for freshness, food safety, and the carbon footprint associated with food sourced from distant places. This 5-page fact sheet promotes local vegetable consumption by pointing out some of the advantages, benefits, and business opportunities associated with local vegetable production and consumption. Written by Qingren Wang, Edward A. Evans, Margie Pikarsky, and Teresa Olczyk, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, September 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1251

Management of Powdery Mildew in Beans

Figure 6. Development of powdery mildew on pole bean plants without full sunlight. Credit: Qingren WangPowdery mildew is one of the most commonly occurring diseases on many types of beans. Although the causal organism rarely causes extensive damage, significant yield losses were reported in Columbia County when infection occurred in dry beans prior to flowering. Accurately identifying this disease and immediately taking action for control are critical to effectively prevent spread of powdery mildew in order to reduce significant losses of yield and quality. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Qingren Wang, Shouan Zhang, and Teresa Olczyk, and published by the UF Department of Plant Pathology, June 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp311

Bush Snapbean Production in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Figure 1. Snapbean production on calcareous, very gravelly loam soils in Miami-Dade County. Credit: Monica Ozores-HamptonMiami-Dade County is the primary production region for fresh-market bush snapbeans with 57% or 18,696 acres of the Florida bean acreage. Production costs vary from $16.53 to $21.87 per 30 lb. bushel or $4,046 to $4,711 per acre. Acceptable yields range from 185 to over 300 bushels per acre. Snapbeans produced in Miami-Dade County are sold nationwide for the fresh market starting just before Thanksgiving and continuing through the winter and spring months. This 9-page fact sheet was written by S. Zhang, D. Seal, M. Ozores-Hampton, M. Lamberts, Y. Li, W. Klassen, and T. Olczyk, specifically for growers in Miami-Dade County as a supplement to The Vegetable Production Handbook for Florida (SP170). Published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, July 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/tr005

Using Tensiometers for Vegetable Irrigation Scheduling in Miami-Dade County (ABE326/TR015)

Figure 1. Example of a tensiometer's vacuum gauge.A tensiometer is a simple and relatively inexpensive tool that can be used to schedule irrigation in Miami-Dade County vegetable crops. Tensiometers continuously measure soil water potential or tension. If the tension in the soil is high, plants have to use more energy to extract soil water. If tension in the soil is low, then plants have lower energy requirements to extract soil water. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Kati W. Migliaccio, Teresa Olczyk, Yuncong Li, Rafael Muñoz-Carpena, and Tina Dispenza, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, December 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/tr015

HS1156 Review of Nutrient Management Systems for Florida Vegetable Producers

HS1156, a 17-page white paper from the UF/IFAS Vegetable Fertilizer Task Force, identifies differences between actual fertilization practices and UF/IFAS fertilizer recommendations, especially for vegetables grown with subsurface (Central and South Florida) and overhead (Miami-Dade County) irrigation. The recommendations of the VFTF aim at bridging the gaps between science-based results and the diversity in production systems found in the Florida vegetable industry. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, April 2009.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HS1156