By Clint Thompson Some rainfall is in the forecast for parts of the Southeast. Some is better than none at this point for farmers. As the current drought spreads and intensifies across Alabama, Florida and Georgia, growers are in need of precipitation for their crops. Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension Agricultural Climatologist, provides an update on what rainfall is …
Prolonged Drought: Dry Weather Expanding Across Southeast
The prolonged drought that persists across the Southeast is intensifying and expanding in Florida, Georgia and Alabama, according to Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Most of Florida’s dry conditions remain in the southern part of the state. Most of the prolonged drought conditions are now moderately dry with some severely dry conditions in Glades and Palm Beach counties. …
Protecting Citrus During Prolonged Dry Periods
Hot and dry conditions are being seen in citrus groves across the Southeast. Growers are reminded to keep their trees — young and old — supplied with an ample amount of water. Citrus grower Kim Jones, who owns a citrus packing facility in Monticello, Florida, and is part-owner of a similar facility in Tifton, Georgia, discusses the importance of keeping …
Compost and Cover Crops Improve Soil Health in Citrus
By Tacy Callies Citrus grower Sonny Conner recently hosted a group from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for what he called his “Clint Eastwood tour of the good, the bad and the ugly.” While some of his trees are too far gone from citrus greening (the bad and the ugly) to be resuscitated, many more …
Georgia’s Peach Harvest is Underway
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s producers have begun peach harvest of this year’s crop. However, increased volume is not expected until early-to-mid June, according to Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Peach and Taylor counties. “This is about our normal start time. It wasn’t necessarily expected to be our normal start time after March …
Drought Worsening Across Southeast
Drought conditions are worsening and expanding in areas across the Southeast, according to Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. The worst conditions in Florida reside in the southern region of the state. From Hillsborough, Polk and Osceola counties to as far south as Broward and Miami-Dade counties, the areas are either in an abnormal drought or moderate drought. Parts …
Botrytis Resistance Testing Key for Strawberry, Grape Producers
By Clint Thompson A University of Georgia Extension fruit disease specialist encourages grape and strawberry producers who are concerned that botrytis resistance is developing to their fungicides to comply with testing procedures at Clemson University. Phil Brannen stresses that growers should be concerned with potential resistance forming to the botrytis disease. “Botrytis as a fungus is more adept at developing …
Plum Curculio Currently Not a Concern for Florida Peach Producers
By Clint Thompson Plum curculio is not currently a pest for most Florida peach producers. But that shouldn’t deter growers from keeping a watchful eye and ensuring the insect does not become a problem in the future. Amanda Hodges, an Extension scientist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences entomology and nematology department, discusses the impact …
Not So Sweet Prices: January Freeze Event Impacting Watermelon Market
By Clint Thompson The freeze event in late January is having an impact on the watermelon market more than three months later. What were ‘outrageously’ high prices just a few weeks ago have dropped substantially since. It is mostly due to an abundance of supply overwhelming demand. Carr Hussey, a watermelon farmer in Florida, Georgia and Alabama, calls it a …
Dry Conditions Persist in Southeast
Much of the dry conditions that developed in recent weeks in the Southeast remain in Florida and Georgia, while most of Alabama is drought free, according to Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. The majority of Florida’s dry conditions are concentrated in the southern part of the state. A severe drought is being experienced in parts of Glades and …