2021 is the 35th Anniversary of the Passage of the Vidalia Onion Act by the State’s Legislature ATLANTA, Ga. – The pack date for Georgia’s Vidalia onions will be April 19. The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) and the Vidalia Onion Committee (VOC) made the announcement. The organizations are also celebrating the 35th anniversary of legislation that helped make Vidalia …
Brighter Days: Sunshine Sparks Growth in Vidalia Onions
Georgia Vidalia onion producers experienced much-needed sunshine last week. It allowed them to get back into the field and apply fertilizer and fungicide sprays, says Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. “Growers were wide open last week trying to get caught up with fertilizer and with …
Be Prepared: Vidalia Onion Producers Need to be Ready for Downy Mildew Disease
It was March 23 in 2020. In the prior season it was Feb. 28. In 2018 it was March 19. All were dates that Downy Mildew disease was initially discovered in Georgia Vidalia onions. If past seasons are any indication, the disease could soon be ripe for a problem for Vidalia onion producers. “Downy is always on our minds this …
Vidalia Onion Crop and Disease Update
The 2021 Vidalia Onion Crop and Disease Update will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 17. It will be held virtually this year from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. University of Georgia (UGA) Extension scientists will provide an update on disease management recommendations to onion producers and industry experts. The speakers include Chris Tyson, area onion agent, and Bhabesh Dutta, UGA …
Slow Start for Georgia Vidalia Onions
It has been a tale of two winters for Georgia Vidalia onion producers. Last year’s abnormally mild winter was highlighted by warmer temperatures. This season has been characterized by wetter conditions and cooler temperatures. It has impacted the growth of the state’s onion crop so far this season, says Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the …
Organic Vidalia Onion Industry: Challenges in Sour Skin Management
Vidalia onions are famous for their mild-sweet flavor and are a favorite of consumers and chefs across the U.S. Due to this popularity, there is also significant demand for organically-grown Vidalia onions. Soil-borne bacterial diseases like sour skin and slippery skin caused by Burkholderia sp. impact quality and yield of organic onions in Georgia. The pathogens are soil-borne. Current organic …
Dry Conditions Helpful for Georgia Vidalia Onion Growers
Abnormally dry conditions in Southeast Georgia are only helping Vidalia onion farmers who are transplanting this year’s crop. Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia, said onion producers don’t need a lot of water right now anyway. The lack of rainfall is not a detriment at this …
What a Difference a Year Can Make for Vidalia Onion Producers
What a difference a year makes for Georgia’s Vidalia onion producers. Last year’s weather conditions consisted of hot temperatures when growers were planting their seedbeds. That’s not been the case this year, however. “It’s been a real quiet year. Everything’s been going very well. This time last year we were dealing with really hot temperatures, some extreme. We think the …
Vidalia Onion Producers Wary of Center Rot
It’s never too early for Vidalia onion growers to start thinking about bacterial diseases that are problematic this time of year; especially Center Rot. While Southeast Georgia is the perfect environment for onion production, it also presents different challenges for onion producers. There are many plant diseases that can impact production. According to a UGA Extension publication, during this time …
Vidalia Onion Growers Expected to Resume Planting Following Latest Storm
Georgia Vidalia onion growers will resume planting this year’s crop following rainfall from Hurricane-turned-Tropical Storm Sally this week, says Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. Tyson said the heavy rains that pummeled the Southeast on Wednesday did not impact his area as much in southeast Georgia. …