Maine's cranberry crops are on track for a strong harvest this year.
Charles Armstrong of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension said the relatively steady rain this summer has helped most growers. Armstrong said that rain, paired with warm but not overly hot temperatures are good for cranberry plants.
"So it was just a really nice balance of sunshine and rain, and I think we had a nice dry stretch of weather during the pollination period, which really helps the cranberries, because they do have to be insect pollinated," he said.
But Armstrong said some growers in Washington County saw less rainfall, and others had challenges unrelated to the weather, such as fungal infections or pests.
But growers aren't quite out of the woods yet, Armstrong said, as they must wait for cool September nights to help the berries turn red before damaging overnight frosts set in.
"So that's really what makes the climate in Maine so conducive to cranberries, is our cooler nights in late September and typically first week of October, has traditionally been when growers have harvested," he said.
Armstrong recommends looking for locally grown cranberries at farmers markets in the coming weeks, as they won't be around for long.
