By Clint Thompson
It felt like spring during November in Northeast Alabama. That was not ideal if you are a strawberry producer needing cold temperatures so the plants will go dormant. But that’s the scenario that growers faced, not only in Alabama, but also throughout the Southeast region.
Eric Schavey, regional Extension agent in Northeast Alabama, discussed the situation facing his strawberry farmers.
“We need these 70-degree (Fahrenheit) days to go away,” Schavey said. “They love this weather right here that we’re having. What we need it to do is start getting colder, because we want them to go dormant. We’ve got good crown development. What we don’t want them to do is say, ‘Hey, okay, we like it, so let’s start blooming.’ We were 78 (degrees) (F) the other day here at Gadsden. It’s 60 degrees (F) at night and 78 (F) during the day. That’s not much of a temperature swing.
“If we can get highs in the upper 50s, we’re okay. We need some cooler temperatures, because right now this is April weather.”
The current above-normal temperatures are concerning since the region is projected to experience a La Niña winter weather pattern. That would lead to increased drier weather and warmer temperatures.
“It is a concern that if we do have a dry, warm winter, then you’re looking at more winter weed pressure and insect germination. If we’re above 55 degrees (F), insects are just going to keep doing their thing, especially if you stay in the 70s,” Schavey said.