New Edition of Popular Guide Supports Commercial Vegetable Production

The 500-page, spiral-bound, black and white publication with no photos, is built on the most current university research from across the region. Extension specialists and educators from Virginia to Massachusetts are assigned to and review every section of the guide every two years. The purpose of The Veg Guide is to support commercial growers in making informed decisions about varieties, fertility, pest management, and cultural practices, while recognizing that final choices depend on local conditions and grower experience. Because pesticide labels and regulations change frequently, users are legally responsible for following current label directions and ensuring proper use, storage, and disposal. Growers and industry partners are encouraged to consult with their local Extension personnel for guidance and to provide feedback to improve future editions.

If you have not purchased The Veg Guide previously, the six main sections of the book are as follows:

1. General production including transplants, wildlife, food safety, and pollination
2. Soil and nutrient management including organic nutrient sources and improving soils
3. Irrigation management
4. General pesticide safety including Worker Protection Standard and new requirements
5. Pest management including tables for biological controls, and products allowed in greenhouse production
6. Specific commodity recommendations for vegetables and strawberry

As an Extension Educator, I use The Veg Guide on a regular basis, especially during the growing season. My most-used sections are chapters on specific crops, and the tables that summarize biocontrols and greenhouse pest control products.

For further explanation of the crop chapters, I'll use cantaloupe as an example. Cantaloupes are found in the "Muskmelon and Mixed Melon" chapter of The Veg Guide. The muskmelon chapter is 15 pages. Recommended varieties are listed in the first section, followed by a description of the different types of muskmelons you may find in seed catalogs. Next are the recommended nutrients based on soil tests, followed by general production guidance specific to muskmelons, such as planting (seeds and plants), spacing, drip irrigation, mulching, pollination, harvest tips, and post-harvest handling. The final three sections of the muskmelon chapter address pests: weeds, insects and mites, and disease. Weed control is split into pre- and post-emergence sections, with product names, rates, and group numbers, along with columns for pre-harvest interval (PHI) and re-entry interval (REI). Helpful tips and cautions are included. The insect and disease control sections include the same information for common pests plus a column for bee toxicity ratings, if available. When known, threshold numbers and resistance concerns are stated, along with other proven strategies, such as seed treatments and spray timing. This summary of muskmelon is representative of each crop covered in The Veg Guide.

Recognizing that strawberries are a key crop on many diversified Mid‑Atlantic vegetable farms, strawberry is included in The Veg Guide. It covers both plasticulture and matted‑row production systems and provides recommended varieties and cultural guidance for each, since they require different approaches.

Each chapter of The Veg Guide can be downloaded at no cost. If you prefer a paper copy as I do, you can order it for $40 plus shipping from the Penn State Extension website, or call Penn State customer service at 1-877-345-0691.