Fruit and Vegetable Crop Weekly

Growing degree days since April 1: 23 GDD (Average (11 year): 33) (From the Illinois State Water Survey Degree-Day Calculator)

4 inch soil temp: 41.9°F (10 am 4-inch soil temperature under bare soil) (From the Illinois State Water Survey Illinois Climate Network)

Soil Temperatures and Spring Planting of Vegetables. Planting by the calendar is too risky when there are simple tools to help make more accurate decisions about soil temperature. Checking regional soil temperatures can be as simple as checking a website. Click here to learn more (scroll down to article).

Interested in learning more about fruit tree grafting? If so, check out two upcoming workshops. One will be held on April 19 in Eureka (Woodford County) and the other on April 26 in Fairbury (Livingston County).

Non-Antibiotic Fire Blight Control Program in Organic Fruit. With approved antibiotics for fire blight control expiring for organic apple and pear growers this fall, The Organic Center has released an essential report featuring existing practices and emerging research to help growers control fire blight while maintaining organic certification. "Grower Lessons and Emerging Research for Developing an Integrated Non-Antibiotic Fire Blight Control Program in Organic Fruit" – available here – collects critical knowledge from U.S. apple and pear growers who already practice fire blight prevention without the commonly-used antibiotic oxytetracycline that the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) will begin sunsetting in Oct. 2014.

Source: University of Illinois