Ripening Progress

Ripening has made a lot of progress since wednesday. Still none of the varieties are better than about 50% ripe (in a given bush), but many bushes jumped from 30 to 50% ripe since Wed. Got a great rain last night, which we needed badly. It has been warm and humid during the last few days, which should also help. Outlook for picking on the 15th is good. Hopefully I didn't just jinx it.

For those who have picked here often, this appears to be our latest year. To put it in a temperature perspective, let's look at growing degree days. In 2005-2007, we experienced at least 1200 growing degree days by this time each year, and in all of those years we opened by the first of August. Last year (2008), we opened in Aug. 9th, after 830 growing degree days. This year, as of today, we are at 700. I don't know how many it takes, but obviously we are a bit behind. Everybody with a garden already knows this.

Here is the website where one can look at historical temperature, precipitation, etc.:
http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KCMX/2009/8/9/CustomHistory.html