Timothy Elkner, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Lancaster County We are now moving into summer, the main season for vegetable production. As usual, the weather has been anything but ordinary. First we had cool, wet weather, then hot and dry, then hot and wet, and now we're back to hot and dry. An next week - who knows? Unfortunately, these variations m the weather make it difficult for you to produce a high quality crop. When we have these types of variable conditions your atten tion to detail will affect the ulti mate quality of the crop. Hot, dry weather will require you to pay close attention to the water status of your fields. Alter nating periods of excessively wet and then hot and dry weather will stress your plants because it will alfect root growth. During the wet periods root growth will be re duced because the plants will have adequate water with only a small root area. However, when the weather suddenly turns hot and dry this small mass of roots will not be able to supply the water that the plant needs. So watch your fields closely this week and next for the early signs of water stress and ap ply water before growth is slowed and yields are reduced. When you do irrigate be sure to water thoroughly. Drip irrigation Introducing the new and improved F-Series Bobcat 81 753 Skid-Steer Loader Now - More of What You Want! Quarryville, PA GRUMELLI’s FARM SERV. 717-786-7318 Lebanon, PA EVERGREEN TRACTOR CO. 717-866-2585 1-800-441-4450 Mifflinburg, PA BS & B REPAIR 717-966-3756 allows water to be applied at a rate that will be readily absorbed by the soil. If you are using overhead irrigation be sure to apply the wa ter at a rate that will allow it to absorbed into the soil rather than running off. Maximum irrigation rates are 0.40 inch per hour for sandy soils, 0.30 inch per hour for loamy soils, and 0.20 inch per hour for clay soils. Blotchy Ripening of Green house Tomatoes Blotchy ripening of tomatoes in greenhouses is a frustrating experience for tomato growers. Every spring I receive calls from growers asking how to solve this problem. Unfortunately, blotchy ripen ing can be caused by several fac tors including excessive heat, high humidity, low light levels and low potassium levels. Some va rieties are more likely ty experi ence this problem as well. What should you do if you are having this problem? The first thing to do is to have a tissue test to de termine if low levels of potassium are to blame. This is the most common cause of blotchy ripen ing and the easiest to solve. Environmental factors such as temperature and humidity are not easily controlled and you need to minimize the effects of these fac tors by variety selection. For greenhouse production of toma toes you should plant varieties de veloped to grow in a greenhouse. Examples are Trust, President, and Match. Of These Local Dealers Today! Harrisburg, PA HIGHWAY EQUIPMENT 717-564-3031 Lititz, PA 717-625-2800 Muncy, PA BEST LINE LEASING, INC. 717-546-8422 800-321 -2378- Some people don't want to grow greenhouse varieties because they are afraid that these types have less taste than regular varie ties. However, these newer culti vars produce a very high quality tomato and 1 would encourage you to try one or more of these varie ties if you are having problems with uneven ripening. Late Blight and Early Blight of Tomatoes. The potential exists to have problems with Late Blight this year. There have already been documented cases of Late Blight in Pennsylvania, New York, and_ Ohio. There is the possibility that more Late Blight is present in PA because of the large number of po tatoes that overwintered in har vested fields from last year. Our mild winter did not kill these tu bers as it normally would have so the potential for more Late Blight innoculum is greater because it survives in overwintering tubers. Growers are advised to scout tomato and potato fields regularly during weather favorable for the development of (his potentially devastating disease. Weather conditions have al ready been favorable for Early Blight development on early planted tomatoes in Lancaster county. Dr. Alan Mac Nab of the Pathology Department at Penn State is advising a fungicide ap plication to tomatoes planted in early to mid-May. Fields planted after mid-May should if crop rotation is being practiced and fields are scouted regularly. Growers can receive the latest disease updates by calling the PDA's hotline at 1-800- PENN-IPM. You need a touch tone phone to utilize these re ports. 43 5 HP Kubota diesel engine for improved performance' ' Larger tilt cylinder more rollback power for improved digging and loading capability! Faster travel speed (6 6 mph) for quick cycle times! 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Scout fields regularly for these pests, especially during corn silk ing, and adjust your spray sched ules appropriately. You can also receive an updated report on the trap catches of the corn pests by calling the PDA hotline men tioned above. Harvest Procedures Finally, growers should strive to preserve the quality present at NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN FILL THE SHOES? Try A Help Wanted Ad in Classified. Phone: 717-394-3047 or 717-626-1164 M FISHER’S PAINTING & FISHER’S PAINT OUTLET STORE QUALITY paints @ REASONABLE prices tWRaW I ■ ALL TYPES OF INTERIOR & EXTERIOR U P J PAINTING ■ SANDBLASTING N ROOF COATING ■ RESTORATION & WATERPROOFING ON STONE & BRICK BUILDINGS HOUSES ■ BARNS - FENCES ■ FACTORIES - ETC. Specialists In Sand Blasting/Spray Painting Farm Buildings, Feed Mills, Roofs, Tanks, Etc. 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PA 17509 610-593-2242 U S Pat No 5653195 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 4, 1998-C3 harvest in their produce by follow ing proper haivest and handling procedures 1 First, harvest your crops at the proper maturity for your market Zucchini should be small and ten der while cantaloupes should be harvested at half-slip to full slip to have the best taste Harvest in the cool of morning whenever possible and move harvested pro duce to a cool, shaded location as soon as possible Store any harvested produce for the shortest time necessary The sooner you get your produce to market or the consumer, the better their eating experience will be. And always handle produce like the delicate commodity it is. Avoid drops, bruising and any rough handling procedures The extra care you take when harvest ing and handling your produce will result in more satisfied buy ers and more return sales for you. Tim Elkner Penn State Cooperative Exten sion, 1383 Arcadia Rd., Rm. 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