<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;line-height:130%"> Georgia</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By Jordan Okumura<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">03.26.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Heavy rains hit the Vidalia growing regions of Georgia, March 23rd and 24th, along with near freezing temperatures in areas that included the areas of Glennville and Statesboro. Saturday night saw approximately 3 inches of rain which adds to the complications from rain that previously dumped nearly 15 inches on the Vidalia crop. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/vidalia-onions-weather-march-23-cropped.jpg" alt="images032513" /></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>One grower tells us that the crop has already been water logged from the previous rains and these conditions are making it hard to get back into field.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>There is concern over freezing conditions over the next couple days as temperatures dipped down around 34 degrees on Monday night. The excess rain leeches a lot of nutrients from the soil, growers tell us, making fertalization programs hard to maintain. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black had approved the official start date of the 2013 Vidalia® sweet onion season as April 15th, but the recent rains may delay the crop for 3-4 days. In addition, the Department has announced the official reported acreage of 12,559 acres - nearly the same as the previous season at 12,676.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>It can take a couple of days at times before the temperature effects really manifest and a possible cold snap could slow things down.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Many in the industry are still reeling from the 2012 crop. Growers note that historically higher-than-normal temperatures during the growing season had spurred smaller sizes and the onset of a particularly virulent strain of downy mildew. The result: roughly one-third reductions in marketable yields. Storage facilities last season remained largely un-filled, which resulted in a shortened season. Many were already concerned about the recent and forecasted cooler-than-normal temperatures.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for updates on weather.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
