Weather History & Current Conditions

• Historical reference: June 26, 1993 - Severe hailstorms in western Iowa with golf ball to softball-sized hail caused extensive damage to crops, trees, cars, and buildings
• Recent weather: 150-400% of normal rainfall across southern Iowa with some areas receiving 3-8 inches (equivalent to a month's worth of rain)
• Heat wave anomaly: Unusual combination of high 90s temperatures, high humidity, and sustained strong southerly winds for 24-36 hours - described as a "black swan event"
• Record temperatures: Many stations recorded daily record warm overnight low temperatures that didn't allow for cooling

Weather Forecasts

• Short-term: Continued unsettled pattern with thunderstorms and slight severe weather risk in north-central to northeastern Iowa
• Coming week: Heavy rain potential (1-2 inches), cooler 80s tomorrow, then back to low 90s with Sunday thunderstorms followed by quieter conditions
• Extended outlook: 6-10 and 8-14 day forecasts show near normal temperatures with continued wet signal; July outlook leans warm statewide with slight dry tendency in western Iowa

Sweet Corn Season & Pest Management

• Sweet corn timing: First harvest expected within days - Roger VanDonselaarr (Prairie Produce, Grinnell) and Hilltop Farm (Dallas Center) 
• Production methods: Early growers use clear plastic mulch and row covers to accelerate growth
• Corn earworm challenge: Moths present requiring spray applications every 2-3 days, but wet conditions prevent field access
• Quality standards: Zero tolerance for worms in commercial sweet corn due to consumer expectations and processing requirements
• Drone spraying: Some growers adopting drone technology to overcome wet soil limitations, though wind conditions still restrict applications

Disease Management & Crop Care

• Disease scouting tips:
  • Stay out of wet fields to prevent disease spread
  • Start with youngest, healthiest plants before moving to diseased areas
  • Use clean clothes, tools, and boots daily
  • Disinfect pruners between plants
• Current diseases observed: Bacterial leaf spot in parsley/cilantro and black rot in brassicas

Garlic Production

• Scape removal timing: Research shows removing scapes as early as possible (when just emerged) produces largest bulbs
• Manual vs. mechanical removal: Hand removal preferred as mowing can remove leaves and reduce bulb size by 15%
• Market considerations: If selling scapes, wait for full curl; if maximizing bulb size, remove immediately

Upcoming Events

• July 1: Plant diagnostic clinic at Twin County Produce Auction, Kalona (9-11 AM)
• July 8: Rodale Field Day at Midwest Organic Center near Cedar Rapids - featuring autonomous robotic ag tools
• July 31: Educate the Educators Day at Plant Peddler, Cresco
• August 1: Variety Day trade show at Plant Peddler
• End of July: Cut flower field day at River Root Farm, Decorah
• End of August: Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day, Ames

summary generated using claude.ai