In my latest article for Spud Smart, I take a closer look at what I learned working with a frustrated potato grower in coastal South Africa—and how those same lessons apply to farms in Canada. By adjusting how Chloropicrin (known as Strike in Canada) was applied, we turned a struggling field into a success story. […]
I just got back from a whirlwind trip to one of my favorite places: South Africa. My trips are never vacations — they usually start with a call that sounds like: “We’ve got a problem. Can you come help us figure it out?” This time, the problem was a potato grower on the country’s sand […]
Black dot is on the rise in potato fields, and farmers are worried — with good reason. Though it’s not a new disease, it’s a growing and incredibly tough to manage problem that can steal yield, blemish tubers, and reduce marketability. I’ve talked to a lot of farmers who are genuinely daunted by what can […]
JULY 22 | 2:00 P.M. ET Join us for The Future Beneath Your Feet: Disease Control, ROI & Soil Science in Action, a must-watch session that digs deep into how soil health, disease control, and smart inputs can directly impact your bottom line. Top experts, Dr. Chad Hutchinson, Joy Youwakim, and Dr. Gary Secor share […]
Jeff Douglas, the founder of our affiliate Douglas Ag and exclusive Canadian distributor of the soil fumigant Strike, has a simple model: one grower, one trial, one success at a time. Growers are hesitant at first about Strike, but once they try it, can’t imagine farming without it. As an example, one road in New […]
Have you seen our new advertisement? It reads: WHO SAID YOU HAVE TO PUT UP WITH BLACK DOT ON YOUR SEED? AS A SEED GROWER, YOU DON’T HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT. Did you know? Seed potatoes are susceptible to many common soil-borne diseases and pathogens that can inhibit tuber growth uniformity and chip away at […]
The first 6 to 8 weeks are especially vital for developing root growth in onions. Strike soil fumigants provide a barrier of protection from soil borne disease, buying time for the developing young plants to yield a healthy and vigorous onion root. Pre-plant soil fumigation treatment with Strike is the first step in a successful […]
It has been a couple months since I last posted, but one of our recent articles on SpudSmart.com is garnering a lot of views. People are curious about soil and soil health. I’m a soil guy myself: I am fascinated by the life that exists below our feet, and how we can promote and support […]
Back in May, Spud Smart published an article I wrote on verticillium management and it has been one of our most read articles so far this year. I hope you find it useful. Trapped in a Circular Discussion on Verticillium Management I just stepped out of a meeting between several university agronomy faculty members and […]
In this second segment of our blog aimed at potato seed growers, let me throw a shocking finding at you: A recent scientific research paper stated that up to 68% of all seed potatoes sold in the Pacific Northwest are infected with verticillium. If you are one of the very lucky few who don’t currently […]
