Vegetables

Preserve It! Summer With Watermelon! by UCCE Master Food Preserver Laurie Lewis Nothing quenches thirst in the heat of the summer as a sweet watermelon can. Who else has childhood memories holding a generous slice in your hands, biting into the fruit as the juice ran down both arms?Watermelon Rinds…

General outlook & thrips populationAs planting wraps up, temperatures remain similar to long-term averages. Thrips population predictions are similar to last week’s update. Generation 2 adults peaked a couple weeks ago; generation three adults are predicted to peak 6/8.  The 3rd and 4th…

General situationThe oldest tomatoes have been in ground for more than a month, and planting is progressing rapidly. The warm weather in the past two weeks has pushed thrips population projections forward by a few days compared to the last report. Thrips populationFirst-generation adults are still…

General situation, thrips population developmentPlanting is in full swing. Temperatures and precipitation this spring are close to historic norms, and the thrips population predictions are very similar to those we saw last year. We’re currently at the peak of 1st-generation adults; they’ll be laying their…

Summary: This limited study indicated that a slight deposition of metals (Copper and Manganese) may have occurred in one agricultural field, but the increases measured in the surface samples were likely insignificant relative to normal background levels for these soil types. Other sites showed no increase in…