Adverse Weather Conditions Challenging Florida Strawberry Producers

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Strawberry

By Clint Thompson Wet weather in recent weeks has challenged strawberry production in South Florida. One grower is forced to throw away a substantial amount of one variety because of rain damage. “We’re picking (Monday). We’re definitely a little bit wetter,” said Dustin Grooms with Fancy Farms in Plant City, Florida. “We took a lot of rain damage. Going around …

Attention Florida Blueberry Growers: What to Remember During Freezing Weather

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) experts caution Florida blueberry growers about the potential for low temperatures this time of year and what management options they need to be concerned with. Doug Phillips, UF/IFAS blueberry Extension coordinator at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, emphasizes the importance of eyeing weather forecasts every …

Christmas Tree Grower: Weather Events Led to Challenging Production Season

Clint ThompsonAlabama

By Clint Thompson Weather events last Christmas and this fall have made Christmas tree production difficult this year, according to one Alabama producer. “The production was a challenge. That’s my best word, and I think I’m probably speaking for every Christmas tree grower in our neck of the woods, in this part of the Southeast,” said Steve Mannard, with Fish …

Drought Monitor: Dry Weather Expanding, Worsening Across Southeast

Web AdminDrought, Weather

Dry weather is expanding and worsening across the Southeast, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The driest areas are located along the Southwest Alabama-Northwest Florida region. Extreme drought is observed in parts of Mobile, Escambia, Monrore and Conecuh counties in Alabama. Severe drought is seen in other parts of Mobile, Baldwin, Washington, Clarke, Escambia, Monrore and Conecuh counties. Abnormal drought …

Georgia’s Summer Weather: Mostly Wetter and Hotter

Web AdminGeorgia, Weather

By Clint Thompson Summer is winding down across the Southeast. Georgia’s specialty crop producers will remember this year to be a mostly wet and hot summer, though, those conditions vary throughout the state. The increased rainfall caused tremendous scab pressure in some pecan orchards. The heat also reduced potential harvests for some of the watermelons produced. Pam Knox, University of …

Perfect Storm: Weather Events Impacted Georgia’s Watermelon Season

Web AdminGeorgia, Watermelon, Weather

By Clint Thompson Intense heat in recent weeks quickly led to the conclusion of this year’s watermelon harvests in most of South Georgia fields. The two-week deluge of rainfall in June also contributed to the crop’s shortened harvest window this year. “The extreme weather events really beat the vines up and it also introduced disease. That coupled with, once they …

Positive/Negative Weather Impacts on Florida Blueberries During Harvests

Web AdminBlueberries, Florida

By Clint Thompson The current dry period persisting through Florida is impacting harvest season for the state’s blueberry producers. Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator, believes extended periods of dry weather has had positive and negative impacts on growers attempting to harvest this year’s crop. “It’s good news in that you …

Weather Impacts on Georgia Strawberries

Web AdminGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Steady rainfall this production season has increased disease pressure in Georgia strawberries. Diseases like anthracnose and phytophthora root rot have been common occurrences in strawberry fields this year, said Phil Brannen, University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension fruit disease specialist. “There have been several things in strawberries that have been problematic this year, and diseases have been …

Weather Challenges for Southeast Alabama Producers

Web AdminAlabama

By Clint Thompson Adverse weather conditions have been a challenge for specialty crop producers in Southeast Alabama. The combination of a freeze event in March along with steady rainfall in recent weeks has  impacted production in various ways. Neil Kelly, Alabama regional Extension agent in southeast Alabama, highlighted some of the obstacles his growers have faced this spring. “We had …

Rain, Rain Stay Away: Vidalia Onion Producers Need Dry Weather During Harvest

Web AdminGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Vidalia onion harvests continue across the Southeast Georgia region. Producers are yearning for dry weather over the next several weeks. Not only will a lack of rainfall allow growers to harvest their crop in a timely fashion, it will also decrease the potential for disease development as onions are harvested and placed into cold storage. Cliff Riner, …