Cauliflower

Recently, orange and purple varieties are becoming more common along with the traditional white forms.
Relevant Events
Vegetable Pest and Cultural Management Meeting for Auction Growers (Ontario)

June 27, 2023
Rushville, NY
Vegetable Pest and Cultural Management Meeting for Auction Growers (FLPA)

July 12, 2023
Penn Yan, NY
Vegetable Pest and Cultural Management Meeting for Auction Growers (Seneca)

August 2, 2023
Romulus, NY
Lorsban is Banned: How to Control Cabbage Maggot in Brassicas Now?
Christy Hoepting, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

Cabbage maggot (CM) feeds on brassica seedlings by tunneling into the stem of the plant just below the soil line. Their feeding can result in unsightly and unmarketable produce in the case of root brassicas like turnips, and in stunting, reduced stand, and reduced yield in head and stem brassicas like cabbage and broccoli. Lorsban and other formulations containing the active ingredient chlorpyrifos were the first line of defense for control of cabbage maggot in several brassica crops, because 1) at ~$10 per acre, it was affordable, and 2) it was easy to apply and avoided worker exposure as a directed spray at the base of the plant.
Unfortunately, Lorsban and all of its generic products for food and feed uses were banned in New York as of July 31, 2021, and in the United States as of February 28, 2022. In the absence of Lorsban and other chlorpyrifos-containing insecticides, NY brassica growers have 6 products belonging to 4 chemical classes available to manage cabbage maggot. This article provides our "2022 Top Picks" to use instead of Lorsban plus results of Cornell research trial results related to application method, rate, and cabbage maggot control.
NEW: Control Options for Cabbage Maggot in Brassicas in New York for 2023!
New Crop Rotation Recommendations for Swede Midge
Christy Hoepting, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

New Cornell research has demonstrated that brassica crop rotations of 500 ft (down from 3000 ft) and 3 months (down from 3 years) could effectively "crash" a swede midge population when fields are secluded from each other, making crop rotation a much more feasible strategy for small farms. A new fact sheet details the new crop rotation recommendations and provides information on the pest's life cycle, biology, and crop preferences in addition to real-world examples of crop rotation. The crop rotation strategies were developed to serve the needs of small organic farmers, but have utility for conventional farmers as well.
Growing for Wholesale: Grading and Packing Guidelines by Crop

Grading and packing guidelines are now available for 18 commonly grown specialty crops in NYS: romaine lettuce, acorn squash, broccoli crowns, Brussels sprouts, sweet corn, green peppers, cucumbers, green cabbage, red cabbage, savoy cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, green beans, jalapenos, poblanos, Hungarian hot peppers, summer squash, and zucchini.
Growing for Wholesale: Vegetable Grading/Sizing Templates
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

To further assist farmers looking to sell into the wholesale markets, the Cornell Vegetable Program has put together some helpful tools. The tools provided here consist of a color photo guide highlighting the grades of some of the most common vegetables grown for wholesale market in WNY. To aid in the visualization of the grading sizes, the templates are available here for you to print off. These are scaled to size and can be used to create sizing templates to be used by workers on the wash and pack lines.
Organic Production Guides
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

Organic Production Guides for fruits, vegetables and dairy are available through the NYS Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. They outline general practices for growing vegetable and fruit crops using organic integrated pest management techniques.
Video: Swede Midge

Swede midge is an invasive insect pest that is threatening the viability of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi and turnip production within the Cornell Vegetable Program region and throughout the Northeastern US. This short video will provide you with some general information about this pest and how to scout for it in your Brassicas.
Video: Flea Beetles

Flea beetles are a common vegetable pest affecting peppers, cucurbits, sweet potato, potato, peas, beans, beets, tomato, corn, turnip, pumpkin, melon, eggplant, and others. This short video gives you some general information about this pest.
Cold Storage Chart and Reference Guide to Commercial Vegetable Storage
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

Commercial vegetable growers will find a Cold Storage Chart by crop type with temperature and relative humidity recommendations. The maximum number of weeks that the crop can be held under ideal conditions is provided as well.
Adapted from the USDA Bulletin #66, The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, and Florist and Nursery Stock, growers will find information on quality, grading, sizes, and packaging, chilling and storage, and post-harvest pathology of vegetables.
Video: Produce Washing Stations - How to Use a Germicidal Bleach

Good Agricultural Practices or GAPs are the steps taken in produce packing areas to reduce microbial contamination. One area where reducing micro contamination is critical is in the washing and cleaning of produce. This video shows you a set of standard operating procedures for using a germicidal bleach in a produce washing station. Learn what supplies are required and how to calculate the amount of germicidal bleach needed to sanitize the water.
Video: Farm Food Safety as if Someone's Life Depended On It
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

This video is an overview of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) through on-farm risk assessment. Cornell Cooperative Extension, along with the National GAPs Program and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, has developed and implemented a nationally-recognized training program in GAPs to prepare New York growers for the marketplace's increased vigilance in food safety. You can learn more about that program through this video, as well as updates on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and economic information on the implementation of GAPs collected from growers through extensive interviews.
Extending the Harvest Season with Fall Production
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

Late season production starts in mid spring. For a successful crop, start with a detailed plan. Designate an area specific for late season production so that management can take place in one spot rather than all over the farm. This will make cultivation, pest management, using row cover, and harvesting more efficient to manage.


Upcoming Events
Vegetable Pest and Cultural Management Meeting for Auction Growers (Ontario)

June 27, 2023
Rushville, NY
This on-farm meeting will feature pest management in fresh market vegetables in both field and greenhouse (high tunnel) vegetables, primarily for those growing for wholesale auction. A hands-on demonstration of weed, insect and disease identification in vegetables including management options such as inter-row cover crops, grafting and, where appropriate, spray options will be used to educate growers. Details on each topic will focus on field observations at the farm.
DEC recertification credits will be offered (1.75 credits in categories 10, 1a, 23, 24).
Vegetable Pest and Cultural Management Meeting for Auction Growers (FLPA)

July 12, 2023
Penn Yan, NY
This meeting will feature pest management in fresh market vegetables in both field and greenhouse (high tunnel) vegetables, primarily for those growing for wholesale auction. A hands-on demonstration of weed, insect and disease identification in vegetables including management options such as inter-row cover crops, grafting and, where appropriate, spray options will be used to educate growers.
DEC recertification credits will be offered (1.75 credits in categories 10, 1a, 23, 24).
Vegetable Pest and Cultural Management Meeting for Auction Growers (Seneca)

August 2, 2023
Romulus, NY
This meeting will feature pest management in fresh market vegetables in both field and greenhouse (high tunnel) vegetables, primarily for those growing for wholesale auction. A hands-on demonstration of weed, insect and disease identification in vegetables including management options such as inter-row cover crops, grafting and, where appropriate, spray options will be used to educate growers.
DEC recertification credits will be offered (1.75 credits in categories 10, 1a, 23, 24).