While most Georgians are hustling to finish last-minute shopping
for the holidays, Vidalia onion farmers are planting
the last of their fields and checking them twice.
"Right now, most everything looks good," said Reid
Torrance,
Tattnall County Extension Service director. "The majority
of growers will be through planting before Christmas, which is
a little ahead of schedule."
Except for some damaging, warmer-than-normal weather in
November,
the tiny onion plants are well on their way to a fruitful
spring.
They just have to get through winter first.
New Year, Less
Onions
Because prices have been so low recently, Vidalia onion growers
are planting less of the crop in hopes of improving market
prices.
So there won't be as many onions on the market next year,
Torrance
said.
Georgia growers usually plant about 15,000 acres of the crop.
Tattnall County farmers grow about half of those. This year,
Torrance
said, he expects farmers to plant about 1,000 fewer acres than
last year.
"The growers would like to see a reduction in acres,"
Torrance said. "These guys need a good year to put some
money
in their pockets. Farmers have barely broken even on prices over
the past few years."
In an average season, fresh-market prices usually start high,
then drop as the harvest continues. Over the past few seasons,
however, Georgia farmers have produced an abundance of
onions.
This oversupply has lowered the price farmers get, said George
Boyhan, a horticulturist with the University of Georgia College
of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences. Barring any adverse weather, though,
there should still be plenty of onions for shoppers next
year.
Extreme Weather
Tough
The onions don't mind some hard winter weather. But high winds
and extreme temperature swings can damage the crop.
Onions take the hardest hit when temperatures drop into the low
teens after a spell of warm, sunny days. The onion is 90 percent
water. Low temperatures can cause the water in the tender onion
cells to freeze and rupture.
The Vidalia onion crop hasn't minded the extended drought that
has gripped the state, either. In fact, the onions like it
dry.
"The drought doesn't much affect the onion," Boyhan
said. "Dry conditions keep disease pressure down." Vidalia
onions
are planted under irrigation.
Sweet Treat Available
Now
Shoppers don't have to wait until spring to enjoy fresh Vidalia
onions, though. Small Vidalias, sold as salad onions, are in
grocery
stores now.
The junior-sized onions are planted in early August. They are
then harvested until December, before they become mature. The
onions are good in stir fries and salads.
"You can grow a lot of salad onions on a small number of
acres," Torrance said. "It's a nice niche market for
some growers."
Mature Vidalia onions are harvested in mid-spring, mostly in
April.
Controlled-atmosphere storage allows growers to extend the time
they can market the crop. But even the stored onions don't last
far past September, Boyhan said.
Published on 12/12/00
Sweet Crop Gets Ready for Winter
Brad Haire is the former news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Experts/Sources:
CAES News
UGA dedicates first phase of Science and Ag Hill modernization
11/01/24
The University of Georgia held a dedication ceremony on Oct. 30 to celebrate the completion of the first phase of renovations to modernize research and instruction facilities and infrastructure on UGA’s Science and Ag Hill. This area of campus, located just south of Sanford Stadium, includes buildings dedicated to a variety of scientific disciplines such as biology, physics, geology and agricultural sciences.
CAES News
UGA researchers study how free-range chickens influence farm sustainability
10/31/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Researchers in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are studying how pastured and free-range chickens impact ecosystems on integrated crop-livestock farms. Supported by a $749,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, entomology doctoral student Sofia Varriano and her thesis advisor, agroecologist and systems biology Professor Bill Snyder, are testing the promise of integrated crop-livestock agriculture to increase the sustainability of smaller farms.
CAES News
Kaytlyn Cobb joins UGA Grand Farm to boost agricultural innovation in Georgia
10/30/24 Sean Montgomery
Growing up in north Georgia’s Franklin County, Kaytlyn Cobb knew her aspirations in agriculture would always lead her to new opportunities. Inspired by her dedicated community and diverse background, Cobb is now spearheading a historic partnership between the University of Georgia and Fargo, North Dakota-based Grand Farm as regional assistant director. Hired in August, Cobb hit the ground running to continue development of the fast-forming ecosystem between Grand Farm, the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and global strategic partners.
CAES News
CAES researchers prepare students to address complex challenges of the future
10/29/24 Emily Cabrera
Over the next three years, researchers in the University of Georgia’s Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication aim to transform undergraduate education in agricultural and environmental sciences by integrating systems thinking — an approach that encourages students to see the bigger picture by understanding how different components within a system interact.
CAES News
Thermal imaging may help fruits, veggies stay fresher longer
10/28/24 Savannah Peat
Before your favorite produce arrives at the grocery store, it must be carefully harvested and maintained across long stretches of time. A recent University of Georgia review suggests new temperature measuring technologies could make that process much simpler, amid growing agricultural challenges fueled by fluctuating climates. Maintaining temperature, humidity and light is critical to ensuring fruits and vegetables don’t spoil or deteriorate rapidly. Temperature spikes are the root of adverse outcomes, so monitoring these changes quickly and accurately is key.
CAES News
Georgia Bio awards recognize UGA inventor, corporate partners
10/25/24 Carson McAfee
University of Georgia Professor Quingguo “Jack” Huang, Delta Innovation Hub resident Dalan Animal Health, and Athens manufacturer Meissner Corporation were recognized for their achievements in the life science industry at Georgia Bio’s Georgia Life Sciences Summit, held Oct. 21-22 in Atlanta. The Golden Helix Awards celebrate the contributions of Georgia legislative, academic, corporate, and advocacy leaders working to grow the life science industry and foster strategic partnerships that create a healthier world.