Crops benefited from the warm temperatures over the last week. Irrigation has been needed as the rain keeps missing the southeast corridor of I-94.
Posted on June 18, 2014 by Lina Rodriguez Salamanca, Michigan State University Extension
Squash vine borer adult caught in the Monroe County trap this past week. Photo credit: Lina Rodriguez Salamanca, MSU Extension
Weather
In the past week, rainfall recorded in Southeast Michigan averaged 0.6 inches. The Michigan State University Petersburg Enviro-weather station recorded only 0.28 inches of rain while the Commerce Township Enviro-weather station recorded 1.25 inches. Air temperature in the Southeast has ranged from 39 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit with most days partly cloudy or mostly sunny, contributing to the development of crops.
Based on the average of the Southeast Enviro-weather stations, we currently have reached 706 growing degree days base 50 F (GDD50) with a maximum of 882 GDD at the Petersburg Enviro-weather station, which is ahead by 61 GDD when compared with the five-year average.
Regional GDD for the Southeast region from March 1 to June 18, via Enviro-weather
Vegetable crops
Cabbage harvest has begun and harvest of other cruciferous crops continues. Yellow squash and zucchini harvest continues and two adult squash vine borers were captured in the Monroe County traps this week. Michigan State University Extension recommends considering an insecticide application now that the adults are active and laying eggs.
Cucumbers are bearing 2- to 5-inch fruit, and no cucurbit downy mildew has been detected. However, continue to scout for cucurbit downy mildew symptoms and submit any suspicious symptoms to MSU Diagnostic Services or your local MSU Extension educator as early detection is critical to alert vine crop growers.
Pumpkins have germinated and vines are developing. Watermelon plants are bearing 1- to 2-inch fruit. Potato fields are flowering and tuber formation initiated. Banana peppers are starting to flower (5-10 percent of the plant population) and moderate weed pressure has been observed on bare soil fields.
Early planted sweet corn is 2 feet tall and tasseling. There is a low risk for corn earworms, mainly for the South (West and Central) areas, according to www.cnchemicals.com/. No European corn borers have been caught in the Monroe County trap.
For more information on commercial vegetable production, contact Lina Rodriguez Salamanca at 517-264-5310 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.cnchemicals.com/. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://www.cnchemicals.com/, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).
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