By Clint Thompson
Vidalia onion plants are nearing harvest time. That timeframe was accelerated this year thanks to warmer temperatures in February.
Chris Tyson, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension area onion agent, discussed the progression of this year’s crop.
“Looking at the heat units, obviously, everybody knows that it was really warm in February and the heat unit model that we use to track the crop shows that. We’re actually ahead of where we were this time last year,” Tyson said. “It looks like there’s going to be onions that will be dug in March. That’s typical every year. A lot of people start with some of the earliest maturing onions at the end of March or the very first of April. It looks like we’re on track for that again this year. Whether it’s going to be a real early year, it’s a little hard to say at this point, but as warm as it’s been, it looks like it could may be a little on the earlier side.”
According to the University of Georgia Weather Network, the average temperature in Vidalia, Georgia for the month of February was 72.6 degrees Fahrenheit. That is an increase from the 67.6 F in 2022 and significantly more than the 62.1 F in 2021.
Click here for additional information about the Vidalia onion crop.