By Clint Thompson
Georgia continues to observe prolonged drought conditions, according to the March 5 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. The current conditions are especially challenging in Southeast Georgia where the state’s Vidalia onions are produced.
Extreme drought conditions are observed in Toombs County, one of the central areas for Vidalia onion production.
Chris Tyson, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension area onion agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia, discussed the drought’s impact on Vidalia onion production.
“We definitely have been dry, overall, since the fall,” Tyson said. “Fortunately, for us, the impacts from this on our crop have been minimal so far, since all of our onions are under irrigation.
“Dry weather can actually help us when we’re trying to plant and we’re trying to get in the fields and spray, fertilize, whatever we’re doing. We don’t run into any wet weather delays, which are not uncommon for us. We haven’t been slowed down from heavy rains or wet fields much this season. The biggest downside to the drier season is that growers have had to irrigate the crop more than they usually would, which is an added expense.”
According to the UGA Weather Network, Vidalia, Georgia, has received just 7.47 inches of rain from Sept. 1, 2025 to Feb. 26, 2026; compared to 18.87 inches last year and the 17.91 inches the prior year. Nearby Baxley, Georgia, has received just 8.02 inches of rain from Sept. 1, 2025 to Feb. 26, 2026; compared to 15.82 inches the prior year and 19.99 the year before.
“We’ve been able to do what we need to do. We haven’t had any major weather delays; getting into the field to apply anything,” Tyson said.
“We can definitely supplement with pivots, but it is nice to get a good shower every now and then. There’s just something about rain. You can’t beat rainfall.”