Vidalia onion growers in Georgia are managing drought conditions alongside the impact of recent winter freezes.
Toombs County remains classified under severe drought, part of broader dry conditions across the state. However, growers report that recent deep freezes have posed the more immediate concern for the onion crop.
"This year has definitely thrown us a few curveballs," said Aries Haygood, president of A&M Farms. "More of the challenge so far has been the deep freezes that we experienced a couple of weeks ago."
Haygood reported that soil temperatures fluctuated during the winter event, dropping to 29 degrees. The preferred soil temperature for Vidalia onions is above 55 degrees.
"I was able to stick a thermometer in about a half an inch before I hit frozen, where it had frozen," Haygood said. "And at that time the reading was 29 degrees. So there's definitely been some fluctuations in it."
Following a recent warm period, field conditions have stabilised, and crop appearance has improved.
"You can tell the onions are happy right now," he said. "It looks like they're green, they're standing up. So it seems like they're growing well."
At the current vegetative stage, water demand remains moderate. Irrigation requirements are expected to increase as the crop enters the bulbing phase in March. Haygood indicated that water use will intensify over the next 30 days.
Growers are monitoring soil moisture levels and applying overhead irrigation to manage dry conditions. The crop continues to be assessed for freeze-related effects, with most plantings appearing on track as the season progresses.
Source: WTOC
