There was a point where you could find strawberries, red and black raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries all in harvest. Strawberries are mostly done now, and the raspberries are also nearing the end of harvest. Blackberries and blueberries are in mid-harvest now. Early peaches are also showing up on local markets as well. Cucumbers, zucchini, and high tunnel tomatoes are some of the highlights in local markets. Sweet corn isn’t far behind; earliest plantings will be harvested soon, and a few may already have started to harvest.
After starting June off fairly wet and mild, the last few weeks have turned hot and dry. We had about 3 inches of rain the first week of June. We remained fairly damp June 13 through 19, having rain every day, but in total it was only 0.68 inches across that time, with many days only having a few hundredths of an inch. This was enough to hold the moisture and just keep the soil at saturation for an extended time. This was a struggle for some vegetable transplants, especially in poorly drained areas. We have had no rain since June 19, and that was only 0.03 inches. The soil has dried quickly, and most crops are still doing ok, but the early signs of stress are starting to show.
Pumpkin planting is in its prime
Many already have gotten direct seeded pumpkins planted, and some are still planting. My pumpkin transplants have loved this warmth and sun and went from seeded to ready to transplant in about 2 weeks. With any luck, they will all be in the field before June is over! My main reminder for pumpkin planting is to make sure to start off with fields free of weeds, and if you are using herbicides, preemergence products like Dual Magnum, Reflex, and Strategy are key to helping keep the weeds out while those pumpkins get established. Dual Magnum plus Reflex is a very common PRE herbicide combination, especially when waterhemp is your main weed issue.
