Weather History & Current Conditions Historical reference: June 26, 1993 - Severe hailstorms in western Iowa with golf ball to softball-sized hail caused extensive damage to crops, trees, cars, and buildings Recent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

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