Humid July conditions pose a challenge at garlic harvest time. Pulling the garlic first thing in the morning is best practice, and to get it under cover by late afternoon. Once inside, spread on racks or screening to improve air circulation, or garlic can be tied in bunches to hang. (ANN BENNETT PHOTO)
Humid July conditions pose a challenge at garlic harvest time. Pulling the garlic first thing in the morning is best practice, and to get it under cover by late afternoon. Once inside, spread on racks or screening to improve air circulation, or garlic can be tied in bunches to hang. (ANN BENNETT PHOTO)
The month is winding down with a run of classic July days, hot and humid with more than ample precipitation. Average rainfall for July in the Mount Washington Valley is in the 4.5-inch range, though more than 6 inches had fallen through the final days of month. And steamy heat has been the norm, with temperatures exceeding 80 degrees on 19 days through the 24th.
Which is both good and bad news for local gardeners. Greenery has made a quantum leap forward, both cultivated plants and weeds alike. Summer squash, beans, cucumbers and herbs of all sorts are cranking away, along with peppers and greens. But other cultivars like tomatoes and potatoes that are susceptible to blight are showing signs of trouble. Humidity can transform once healthy plants, a discouraging sight faced by home gardeners every summer. Fungal and bacterial diseases thrive in extended periods of high humidity, including powdery mildew that plagues cucumbers and other cucurbits, late blight in tomatoes and potatoes, and rust in beans.
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