UMN Extension Shares Harvest and Soil Health Guidance

By Scout Nelson

Minnesota vegetable growers are transitioning into harvest season while managing hot, dry, and humid weather conditions. With cooler temperatures and possible rainfall ahead, attention is shifting toward harvest management and soil protection.

University of Minnesota (UMN) Extension, particularly vegetable specialists Natalie Hoidal and Marissa Schuh, who provide guidance for vegetable producers across the state.

Recent storms in southern Minnesota brought strong winds and hail, damaging crops that are nearing harvest. Extension specialists recommend waiting for fields to dry before assessing damage to reduce disease spread and avoid further stress on injured plants.

Growers should remove damaged fruits from crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and summer squash to help plants focus on healthy, marketable produce. Pumpkins and winter squash may recover from minor surface damage, but careful handling during harvest is important to maintain storage quality.

The update also announces the return of the Minnesota High Tunnel Conference, which will focus on intermediate and advanced topics for experienced growers. Organizers are gathering feedback to help determine the event’s location, timing, and educational priorities.

Although drought conditions have limited some disease issues this season, Extension specialists are collecting information on white mold occurrences across Minnesota. Grower observations may help guide future research and disease management efforts.

As harvest creates open field space, producers are encouraged to plant cover crops to protect soil through the fall and winter. Reduced snow cover and warmer winter conditions could increase the risk of erosion from wind and rain.

For fields available now, oats and peas, with or without berseem clover, are recommended. These crops help suppress weeds, improve soil structure, add nitrogen, and typically winter-kill before spring planting.

Fields that will remain productive later into the season may be good candidates for winter rye or winter wheat mixed with vetch. These cover crops provide long-term soil health benefits and support future crop production.

Extension specialists also remind growers to follow appropriate seeding rates. For oats, recommended rates range from 30 to 50 pounds per acre, while peas are generally seeded at 30 to 90 pounds per acre, depending on planting methods and field conditions.

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