Growers irrigated more than usual in southwest Wisconsin
9/14/2023 1:42:08 AM
CATEGORIES:
Agriculture
Business & Industry
Plants & Wildlife
Tourism & Recreation
AFFECTED AREAS:
Wisconsin
Crawford County, WI
Gays Mills, WI
Door County, WI
Vernon County, WI
Start Date: 5/15/2023
- End Date: 9/13/2023
An orchard owner in Gays Mills in Crawford County began watering in May, due to the dry conditions, and irrigated for nearly the entire summer. They might typically water maybe four times a year, but not for months. Drought was hard on the field crops, but fruit growers say that the dry weather was good for many trees and vines.
A pumpkin grower in Door County noted that the pumpkins were more affected by drought than his apples. The pumpkin vines did not progress much during the first half of the summer.
A grape grower in Vernon County reported that the dry weather led to an unprecedented bumper crop. Some grape varieties were ready to be harvested several weeks early. The new vines planted this spring were hand-watered to keep them alive, which was a large labor demand. The dry weather kept pests and diseases to a minimum and yielded grapes of excellent quality.
Wisconsin Public Radio (Madison), Sept 13, 2023
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