Chapter 10. Minor Vegetable Crop Production (original) (raw)

Celery—Apium graveolens, Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)

Okra—Abelmoschus esculentus, Malvaceae

Parsley—Petroselinum crispum, Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)

Table 1. Planting dates for celery, okra, and parsley.

Planting Region Dates
Celery Okra Parsley
North Florida Aug–Feb Mar–Jun Sept–Mar
Central Florida Sept–Mar Feb–Aug Sept–Mar
South Florida Sept–Mar Jan–Mar/Aug–Oct All year

Table 2. Planting information for celery, okra, and parsley.

Planting Parameters Measurements
Celery Okra Parsley
Distance between rows (in) 18–40 36–60 6–12
Distance between plants (in) 6–12 4–10 drilled
Seeding depth (in) on surface 0.5–1.0 0.25
Seed per acre (lb) 1–2 6–81 6–8
Days to maturity from seed 75–90 60–70 70–80
Plant population (acre) 58,080 43,560 1 million+

Table 3. Common cultivars of celery, okra, and parsley.

Crop Cultivars
Celery Tall Utah 52-70R Improved*
Okra Annie Oakley II (H), Cajun Delight (H), Clemson Spineless, Clemson Spineless 80, Millionaire (H), North and South (H), Spike (H)
Parsley Dark Green Italian (PL), Forest Green (CL), Improved Market Gardeners (CL), Jade (CL, H)
*Note the vast majority of celery production in Florida uses proprietary varieties H=hybrid, CL=curly leaf, PL=plain leaf

The following tables list registered pesticides that should be integrated with other pest management methods. Additional information on integrated management methods can be requested from UF/IFAS Extension horticulture or agriculture agents. A list of local UF/IFAS Extension offices is available at https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/find-your-local-office/.

Table 4. Herbicides approved for managing weeds in celery. Labels change frequently. Be sure to read a current product label before applying any chemical. Contact: Ramdas Kanissery, UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center.

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Table 5. Herbicides approved for managing weeds in okra. Labels change frequently. Be sure to read a current product label before applying any chemical. Contact: Ramdas Kanissery, UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center.

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Table 6. Herbicides approved for managing weeds in parsley. Labels change frequently. Be sure to read a current product label before applying any chemical. Contact: Ramdas Kanissery, UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center.

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Table 7. Insecticides approved for management of arthropod pests of celery. Labels change frequently. Be sure to read a current product label before applying any chemical. Please refer to chapter 19 for information on biopesticides, including materials labeled for certified organic production. Contact: Julien Beuzelin, UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center.

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Table 8. Insecticides approved for managing insect pests of okra crops. Contact: Dakshina Seal, UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center.

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Table 9. Insecticides labeled for management of arthropod pests of parsley. Contact: Julien Beuzelin, UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center.

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Table 10. Celery fungicides ordered by disease and then FRAC group according to their mode of action. Labels change frequently. Be sure to read a current product label before applying any chemical. Please refer to chapter 19 for information on biopesticides, including materials labeled for certified organic production. Contact: Katia Viana Xavier, UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center.

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Table 11. Okra fungicides ordered by disease and then FRAC group according to their mode of action. Labels change frequently. Be sure to read a current product label before applying any chemical. Please refer to chapter 19 for information on biopesticides including materials labeled for certified organic production. Contact: Shouan Zhang, UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center.

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Table 12. Parsley fungicides ordered by disease and then FRAC group according to their mode of action. Labels change frequently. Be sure to read a current product label before applying any chemical. Please refer to chapter 19 for information on biopesticides, including materials labeled for certified organic production. Contact: Katia Viana Xavier, UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center.

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Table 13. Nonfumigant nematicides for celery crops in Florida. Contact: Johan Desaeger, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.

Product Application Directions
Nimitz (a.i. fluensulfone) All applications must be incorporated either physically or via drip or overhead irrigation. Make preplant applications at a rate of 3.5–7 pt/A (56.0–80.0 fl oz/A) a minimum of 7 days before planting. Do not plant any unlisted crops into treated land for 365 days after application of the product. No more than 1 application per crop, and no more than 112 fl oz/A per year (365 days). Provides control only for nematodes. Growers applying Nimitz must consult the product label to observe the plant-back (re-cropping) intervals for a variety of leafy vegetables and brassica crops, onions, bananas, sugarcane, and other crops.
Vydate L (a.i. oxamyl) Apply ½–2 gal/A at planting, preferably via drip application or soil spray. Make additional applications on a 10-to-14-day interval. No more than 3 gal/A per season. Minimum retreatment interval is 5 days unless a longer interval is stated. Last application at least 21 days to harvest. Consult label for more details on application.

Table 14. Nonfumigant nematicides for okra in Florida. Contact: Johan Desaeger, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.

Product Application Directions
Velum (a.i. fluopyram) Apply 6.5–6.8 fl oz/A by chemigation into root-zone through low-pressure drip, trickle, microsprinkler, or equivalent equipment. Soil reapplications at least 7 days apart. No more than 13.7 fl oz/A of Velum (0.446 lb/A fluopyram) per year, regardless of formulation or method of application (soil or foliar).
Vydate L (a.i. oxamyl) Apply ½ –1 gal/A at planting, preferably via drip application. Make additional applications on a 10-to-14-day interval. No more than 2 gal/A per season. Reapplications at least 7 days apart unless a longer interval is stated. If an at plant application of more than ½ gal/A is made, do not make more than 2 additional applications.
Salibro (a.i. fluazaindolizine) Apply 30.7–61.4 fl oz/A (1–2 lb a.i./A) as preplant incorporated, via preplant drip, or via at-plant drip. Apply 15.4–30.7 fl oz/A (0.5–1 lb a.i./A) for in-season drip. No more than 61.4 fl oz/A per calendar year. No more than 4 applications per calendar year. Reentry interval is 12 hr. Reapplications at least 14 days apart. Pre-harvest interval is 1 day.
Biological nematicides See chapter 19.

Table 15. Fumigant nematicides for celery crops in Florida. Contact: Johan Desaeger, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.

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