Local farmer says lack of rain puts strain on crop growth
Many people need rain for their yards or gardens, but when it hasn't rained in a while, that can put farmers in a pickle.
MAYHEW, Miss. (WCBI) – If you live in North Mississippi or West Alabama and are trying to grow anything, you know, this has been a dry summer.
Many people need rain for their yards or gardens, but when it hasn’t rained in a while, that can put farmers in a pickle.
The key is to stay prepared and persistent when the rain isn’t always cooperating.
Owner of Mayhew Tomato Farm Melvin Ellis says this year has not been the worst he’s seen, but it hasn’t been as much rain as he’d hoped.
For this year’s crop, on a scale of 1-10, he ranks the severity of the environment a 7 or an 8.
“The season in general has been tough,” Ellis said.
Ellis says in the last 26 days – his farm has only seen an inch and a half of rainfall – and most of that came in one evening.
He says a dryer-than-average April, a cool and dry May, and a hot and dry June, makes it more difficult for the growth of plants.
“They need the rainfall and the warm temperatures in the spring to develop root systems and the structure of the plant,” Ellis said.
When it’s hot and dry, the plants are using all their energy to stay alive, and making less produce for the summer harvest.
“The hot temperatures aren’t near as debilitating as the lack of rainfall. Lack of rainfall in those conditions means the fruit can’t develop like it should normally,” Ellis said.
Ellis says he waters his non-row-crop crops, such as peas, every day.
“It takes roughly six inches of water a week to overcome their needs and evaporation,” Ellis said.
However, Ellis says Peas are more drought tolerant, while tomatoes, squash, eggplants, and melons need a consistent rainfall pattern. And with that, watering the crops regularly is essential – especially in the case of a big rainfall after a drought.
“If you don’t have some way to water, and all of a sudden the plant gets a huge influx of water, It can cause damage to the fruit because the fruit tissues will just swell,” Ellis said. “It needs consistent water patterns, not just here and there. For us, it’s just a matter of surviving the hot weather, and hoping we get some of those weather fronts that drop water on us every 7- 10 days on us.”
Ellis says now that August is approaching, there could be more gulf events that push more air and moisture causing a rainfall event.
