Parma resident Gene Krist displays several underdeveloped Galmour tomatoes, the result of this year's wet and cool summer. Gene claims: The mosquitoes are horrific; I've never had to wear a mosqiuto net before. Everything is my garden is small, late and slow. Yesterday I picked a peck of vegetables and normally that would have happened three weeks ago." Photo by Walter Horylev.

Photo by Rick Nicholson.

Many garden crops are small, slow and late

From home gardeners to cash crop farmers - the harvest report yields the same complaint: Mother Nature has not had much of a nurturing weather effect in August. But experts from Cooperative Extension and various farmers say even though sun and hot days have been scarce and rain has been almost too plentiful, there are still some crop successes.

Fruit, vegetable timelines
Bob King, agricultural specialist with the Monroe County Cooperative Extension, said that generally fruits are five days early and vegetables are ripening five days later than expected. "The crops would certainly benefit from increased heat and dryness," he said. The combination would go a long way toward improving the flavor of some vegetables he said. "But even with the weather conditions we've experienced, the flavor we are seeing is good right now."

Peach growers are seeing larger than normal fruit on the trees this year, which King said is good and will go a long way toward offsetting some of the winter kill the crop experienced. "We had the warm temperatures in early spring, then the plunging temperatures seven days later that contributed to a majority of the winter kill," he said.

Sweet corn has been benefiting from the amount of the rain. "The ear tends to be much larger than normal," King said.

North of Ridge Road, the peaches were protected by the lake effect temperatures while the fruit trees south of the Ridge suffered from the cold snap.

Greg VerHulst of Cobble Creek Farms on Ridge Road in Spencerport said their sweet corn is showing a good yield. "The corn loves this weather and is doing fantastic," he said.

According to King, pumpkins will likely be about two weeks late. "Their lateness is due in large part because they were planted late in the season due to all the early spring rain," he said. "Pumpkins are still a big question mark as to how many and what their size will ultimately be."

VerHulst said their pumpkin planting is looking to be harvested on time. "Our crop actually looks pretty good right now," he said. The market features a corn maze and harvest season program which gives the pumpkins they grow center stage.

Apples, a perennial favorite, are expected to come in with larger than normal yields. "The window of pollination was excellent this year," King said. "The farmers had a hard time keeping up with the thinning this year because of it."

Deborah Breth, extension educator for Orleans Cooperative Extension, agreed that apples are plentiful. "There is no question that the cool weather is bringing on their color," she said. "They are sizing well and as long as the farmers keep up with the necessary pruning, color improvement and size will continue."

While potatoes are still plentiful, King said that because of the low commodity price for them, farmers have planted less. "We have to remember, too, that potatoes don't like this weather," he said. "It's been a cold, difficult year for them."

Tomatoes, which appear to be growing rapidly on the vines, haven't been affected by blight because, as King explains, the blight condition comes about when temperatures hover between 70 and 80 degrees. "Those temperatures promote blight and those conditions just haven't come to fruition," he said. "The tomato crop, locally, is doing rather well but they would definitely benefit from heat and more sun."

Winter squash, cucumbers and summer squash are plentiful and are showing good quality. Green peppers are a light crop so far, but if the area gets the heat it needs, the volume should pick up.

Questions, concerns still loom
Focusing on when the first killing frost is going to hit is next on the minds of farmers. "There is a lot of produce that is coming in late and depending on when that frost hits will determine whether the fresh market growers will make money this year," King said.

Apple color, yield and flavor are not as affected by the cold. "The cold actually helps improve quality and makes them redder," he said.

How does the home garden grow?
Orleans County Cooperative Extension Resource Educator Dave Reville said that the quality and quantity of home garden produce has been all over the map. "Where you are located and what soil type you plant in are factors that definitely affect the yields," he said.

Those "green thumbers" who live near the lake have benefited from the moderating effect of the water while those with heavy clay soils which hold the water are struggling a bit because of all of the rain. Plants growing in sandy soils have not been as affected by the heavy rainfall because their soil allows for better drainage.

"Sunshine is certainly lacking and will delay some of the crops," Reville said. "What is surprising is the excellent quality of the sweet corn."

In his travels, Reville said that he has seen melon, pumpkin and cucumber crops coming along but very slowly. "Those crops need some warm nights and we haven't been given too many of those," he said. "The crops are just slow to ripen."

Melons, pumpkins and cucumbers thrive when they have nights averaging in the 65 degree range.

In Orleans County home gardens, Reville said he has seen some fungus problems with tomato plants because of all the recent rainfall.