Squash- Winter
New York State has a strong industry growing winter and summer squash with over 5,000 acres produced in 2011 with a value of over 43 million dollars. There are many different types of winter squash that are grown including hubbard, buttercup and spaghetti, but butternut and acorn types are the two dominant ones for production. Winter squash is also sold for wholesale and fresh market use. There is also a significant amount of butternut squash that is cut and peeled and repacked and sold through grocery stores. Powdery and Downy Mildew, and Phytopthroa blight are the major diseases we are concerned with.Relevant Events
2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinar Series
January 22, 2026 : Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
January 29, 2026 : Cost of Production for Fruit Crops
February 12, 2026 : Fire Blight Management Updates
February 19, 2026 : Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides- Can We Strike the Right Balance?
March 12, 2026 : Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
March 19, 2026 : St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast
2026 Northeast Extension Fruit Consortium Winter Webinar Series
February 4, 2026 : Management of Up and Coming Strawberry Diseases in the Northeastern United States
February 11, 2026 : Kiwiberry Production in the Northeast
February 18, 2026 : Heat Mitigation- Sunburn and Fruit Coloring
February 18, 2026 : The Dating Game- Updates in Lepidopteran Mating Disruption
March 4, 2026 : USEPA Endangered Species Act Strategies and Pesticide Use
March 11, 2026 : Practical Drought Management for Fruit Growers
Tree Fruit Scouting - Online Course
February 25, 2026 : Tree Fruit Scouting - Online Course
Winter Squash and Pumpkin Maturity, Harvesting and Storage Tips
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2025 Pumpkin Powdery Mildew Table
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2025 Pumpkin and Winter Squash Pre-emergent Post Plant Herbicide Table
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
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.
2024 Cucurbit Powdery Mildew Fungicide Table
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Reminder on Calculating Fertigation Rates for Plastic Mulches
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2024 Cucurbit Downy Mildew Fungicide Table
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2024 Post Emergent Grass Herbicides for Vine Crops
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Angular Leaf Spot: Perennial Problem of Cucurbits
Teresa Rusinek, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Witner Squash and Pumpkin Maturity, Handling and Storage Reminders
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
With early winter squash like spaghetti and acorn starting to ripen, it's time for these helpful harvesting and handling reminders!
2023 Cucurbit Powdery Mildew Control Fungicide Table
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Table 1: Recommended Pre-Emergent/Post Seeding Herbicides for Pumpkins and Wint
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2020 Powdery Mildew Fungicide Table
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Cucurbit Downy Mildew Fungicide Table
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Guidelines on Managing Cucurbit Downy Mildew in 2020 Based on Recent Research
Kabocha Variety Trial Summary 2019
Ethan Grundberg, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Yield and size data, storage evaluation, crop notes, and pictures of 31 kabocha squash varieties trialed on much soil in Orange County, NY in 2019.
Winter Squash and Pumpkin Harvest
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Much of the winter squash in the region is matured and ready to go. This article will give you some tips on how to ensure harvesting, handling and storing the highest quality squash and pumpkins for your farm.
2018 Eastern New York Fruit & Vegetable Conference Vegetable Presentations
Presentations from the 2018 ENYCHP Eastern New York Fruit & Vegetable Conference held February 20th and 21st for the vegetable sections.
Winter Storage Keys to Success - Vegetable Crops
Key topics covered:
- Growing a healthy Crop and keeping it that way in storage
- Storage conditions
- Construction of coolers
- Controls and Thermostats
- Monitoring and more advanced controls
Zonix Biofungicide Label
Timorex Gold NYS Label
Phytophthora Webinar 3: Management practices to reduce P-Cap on the farm
This recorded webinar features Dr. Meg McGrath for a discussion of fungicides for P-Cap, crop rotation strategies, and the use of biofumigants to control P-Cap in infected fields.
Webinar: How do I know if I have P-Cap in my Fields?
Laura McDermott, Team Leader, Small Fruit and Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
The first in a 3-part series, this pre-recorded webinaris presented by Dr. Chris Smart, Cornell University.
Flooding in 2011 spread Phytophthora capsici into fields with no history of the disease. Growers who have not managed P. capsici previously could inadvertently and permanently spread the disease to additional fields and could experience high rates of crop loss due to improper management of the disease. Understanding of P. cap will reduce the probability of these negative outcomes on eastern NY farms.
Webinar: How do I know if I have P-Cap in my Fields?
Laura McDermott, Team Leader, Small Fruit and Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
The first in a 3-part series, this pre-recorded webinaris presented by Dr. Chris Smart, Cornell University.Â
Flooding in 2011 spread Phytophthora capsici into fields with no history of the disease. Growers who have not managed P. capsici previously could inadvertently and permanently spread the disease to additional fields and could experience high rates of crop loss due to improper management of the disease. Understanding of P. cap will reduce the probability of these negative outcomes on eastern NY farms.
Webinar: Farming with P-Cap: Managing Your Crops and Minimizing Spread
Laura McDermott, Team Leader, Small Fruit and Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
In this pre-recorded webinar, Dr. Michael Mazourek, plant breeder at Cornell University, and Dr. Chris Smart, plant pathologist at Cornell University Geneva Experiment Station lead a discussion about how to minimize the impact of Phytophthora capsici on your farm.
Apples
Apricots
Asparagus
Beets
Blueberries
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cherries
Cucumbers
Dry Beans
Eggplant
Ethnic Vegetables
Garlic
Grapes
Horseradish
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce / Leafy Greens
Melons
Nectarines
Onions
Parsnips
Peaches
Pears
Peas
Peppers
Plums
Potatoes
Pumpkins / Gourds
Radishes
Raspberries / Blackberries
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Snap Beans
Squash - Summer
Squash- Winter
Strawberries
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips
Upcoming Events
2026 Winter Cut Flower Webinar Series
January 6, 2026
The fifth annual CCE Cut Flower Webinar Series begins on January 6, 2026 and continues over 5 weeks on Tuesdays. This is a very popular series of online events you won't want to miss, with topflight speakers, a wide variety of subjects concerning growing cut flowers and plenty of interaction between speakers and attendees.
Tuesdays 1pm-3pm January 6, 2026 - February 3, 2026 (The webinar held on February 3 will run 1pm-4pm)
Cost: $60.00 for all five sessions, $20 for single sessions
Webinars will be recorded, and all the recordings will be sent to registrants for future review.
Expanding Farm Sales: Markets, Profits, and Branding Series
January 10, 2026
Looking to diversify where you sell your farm products? This four-part workshop series helps farmers explore new opportunities in direct-to-consumer, wholesale, and institutional markets. Learn how to meet buyer expectations, price for profitability, and build lasting relationships that support your business goals. Participants will strengthen marketing and communication skills, evaluate which sales channels best fit their farm, and connect with buyers, distributors, and local partners who can help expand their reach. Whether you're just starting out or ready to grow your market presence, this program will help you chart the right path for your farm's future.
Four Session Series: Saturdays from 10AM to Noon, January 10-January 31, 2026
Attend at one of three locations: Schoharie Extension Center - Cobleskill, NY; Otsego Education Center - Cooperstown, NY; Via Zoom
Pre-registration is requested! Fee: $25 Register Here
Any questions can be directed to Kelley Doolin at kmd322@cornell.edu
Pesticide Applicator Certification Exam Prep Course
January 13 - January 14, 2026
Join ENYCHP specialists for an in-depth review of topics covered on the NYS DEC pesticide applicator certification exam. This two-day virtual course includes explanation of key concepts on the core exam, test-taking tips for the core and category exam, practice questions, and Q&A with instructors. Course materials, including program recordings, practice exams, and DEC materials will be available to registrants after the program. This training is geared toward certification categories 1A (agricultural plant), 21 (field and forage), 22 (fruit), and 23 (vegetable).