VIDALIA, GA – Fields of green stretch in every direction this time of year, starting just outside the quaint downtown of Vidalia itself and connecting the other small, Georgia towns in the 20-county official onion growing region. Any direction you drive you see acres and acres – more than 10,000 in all — of Georgia’s trademarked crop, the sweet Vidalia onion, …
Georgia Ag Commissioner Announces April 17 Pack Date for Vidalia Onions
Atlanta, GA – The start of Vidalia onion season is almost here, with the official pack date announced by the Georgia Agriculture Commissioner and Vidalia Onion Committee. Vidalia onion fans across the country can mark their calendars for April 17, when the sweet onions will ship to grocery stores nationwide. “In coordination with the Vidalia Onion Committee, I am incredibly …
Producers Beware: Downy Mildew Disease a Threat for Vidalia Onions
By Clint Thompson Increased rainfall and extended periods of leaf wetness means conditions have improved for downy mildew disease in Vidalia onions. Growers should be wary of the disease as harvest season draws near, said Bhabesh Dutta, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension vegetable plant pathologist. “We always monitor downy mildew and the weather conditions that favor downy mildew. We follow …
Extreme Weather Conditions: Georgia’s Vidalia Onions, Blueberries Impacted
By Clint Thompson Two of Georgia’s top specialty crops were impacted significantly by extreme weather events this spring; one positively and one negatively. Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension Agricultural Climatologist, described the impact that the current dry conditions have had on onion harvests and the spring freeze events on the state’s blueberry crop. “The onion harvests this year, of …
Vidalia Onions Could Be Impacted by Rain at Harvest
By Clint Thompson Farmers of Georgia’s Vidalia onions are crossing their fingers and hoping for minimal impact from the rains the Southeast Georgia region has experienced in recent weeks. Onions are vulnerable to secondary pathogens during weather events, especially as the crop is being harvested. Bhabesh Dutta, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension plant pathologist, believes the impact could be felt …
Vidalia Onions Official Packing Date Slated for April 12
The Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Vidalia Onion Committee announced on Wednesday that April 12 will be the official pack date for the 2022 Vidalia onion season. “Each year, I along with the Vidalia Onion Committee, look forward to sharing when Vidalia onions will be on their way to stores, so I’m pleased to announce April 12 as the …
Growth Update: Vidalia Onions Further Along Than Previous Year
By Clint Thompson Normal harvest time for Georgia’s Vidalia onions is usually the beginning of April. That timeframe may be expedited a few days if the current growth of the crop is any indication. According to Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia, the progression of this …
Better Now Than Later: Vidalia Onions Should Recover After Wind Damage
By Clint Thompson High wind speeds a week ago bruised some of Georgia’s Vidalia onion plants. Fortunately, it happened now as opposed to two months later closer to harvest. That’s the feeling shared by Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. “That bruising where the onions got …
Medium or Jumbo? Your Choice in Vidalia Onions This Season
Vidalia onion harvests are in full swing across South Georgia. It appears consumers will have their pick between medium and jumbo size onions, says Cliff Riner, crop production manager for G&R Farms in Glennville, Georgia. “I think as an industry, from the onions I’ve seen and talked with other growers, everybody’s naturally pleased about the weather and the quality that …
Today is Pack Date for Georgia Vidalia Onions
Today is the pack date for Georgia Vidalia onions. An advisory panel comprised of industry leaders determined that April 19 be the first day of the year consumers could buy Vidalia onions. “A lot of growers were getting ramped up with harvest end of (two weeks ago) to really have onions that would be ready to sell for the pack …