When local meteorologists said it would be a wet spring for Northern Illinois, they sure weren’t lying! At the time that I am writing this, the rainfall for the month as of June 25 is 6.45 inches for Elgin, which is 2.68 inches above the June monthly average. While this is much needed rainfall for the area, flooded crop fields and soggy field edges continue to occur. This ‘Mini-me’ cucumber fruit is an example of the slowly maturing crops after long rains on June 20. Tomato plants are maturing well with flower formation and fruit set, but foliage growth remains slow with the heavy rainfall and cool temperatures. Pepper plants are showing chlorotic symptoms which will get better once we have some warmer weather and more sunny days come July. Cool season crops however, are thriving with this cool weather, stretching successful brassica harvests into early July. Most pumpkin fields have been planted in Northern Illinois, and the rains are sure helping with crop maturity. While some farmstands are already open, most begin to open in the area around mid-July with sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, brassicas, summer squash and more.