College Station, Texas
May 18, 2005
Great weather has created a high quality, large
volume onion crop in the state this year, Texas
Cooperative Extension experts report.
"A generally mild, open winter with excellent fall [and] winter
rain and a dry, late winter [to] spring period created an
overall, favorable growing environment as the onion crop
bulbed," said Jose Pena, Extension economist in Uvalde.
He defined open weather as, "sunshine, no clouds."
Dr. Juan Anciso, Extension vegetable specialist in Weslaco, said
recent dry weather was excellent for harvest and caused crop
quality to be high.
Marcel Valdez, Extension agent in Zavala County, said producers
reported higher yields than last year and excellent quality.
About 32,000 pounds of onions per acre were harvested.
The crop is usually harvested from March through May in the
Lower Rio Grande Valley, with April being the peak month, Anciso
said.
"Onion harvest typically begins the first week in May in Zavala
County," Valdez said.
Yellow onions are the main variety grown in Texas. These onions,
which are marketed fresh, are much milder than the onions stored
and consumed during the winter months, Anciso said.
In Zavala County, yellow colossal, super colossal, Cimarron,
white and other yellow varieties are grown. The colossal and
super colossal onions are grown and used for "blooming onion"
food items in restaurants, Valdez said. Other varieties are sold
fresh or used for onion rings in Texas.
Last year, a large portion of the onion crop in the Winter
Garden in Southwest Texas was lost to excessive June rains. This
year's impressive forecast is also due to a higher ratio of
harvested acres and increased yields than historically recorded,
Pena said. However, a higher percentage of smaller onions was
grown.
In the Winter Garden and Laredo area, nearly 123.5 million
pounds of spring onions will be produced. That is about 26
percent of the 469 million pounds of spring onions produced in
Texas, Pena said. The state's crop accounts for 38.9 percent of
the 1.2 billion pounds estimated in the United States' spring
onion crop.
In South Texas, soil moisture is short, and the drought is
worsening, harming crop yields, said Bertha Garza, district
Extension administrator in Weslaco.
Irrigation is active on row crops, Garza said, and most of the
sorghum will not make harvest. "Cotton is in desperate need for
water," she said.
Due to very poor range conditions producers are providing cattle
with supplemental feed, she said.
In the South Plains, high wind damaged several center pivots,
and hail knocked out windows in vehicles, said Jett Major,
district Extension administrator in Lubbock. A tornado touched
down in Crosby County and damaged center pivots and barns, he
said. One house was destroyed. Corn planting continues; some of
the corn that was previously planted received hail damage, he
said.
The following livestock, crop and weather conditions were
reported by Extension districts:
PANHANDLE: Soil moisture is adequate. Temperatures were
above average but returned to normal by the week's end.
Thunderstorms brought rain and hail. The reports of the heaviest
rain were in the southern portion of the district; some hail was
reported. Corn planting continues, but is slowing down due to
wet and cold soil. Corn is about 60 percent planted. Emergence
is slow and stands are rated fair. Cotton planting is about 35
percent complete. Cool temperatures and wet conditions have
slowed planting. Wheat is rated fair to good. Stripe rust was
slowed by warmer temperatures but continues to be a major
concern. Rangeland conditions continued to improve and were
rated mostly fair to good. Cattle are in good condition. Horn
flies are increasing.
SOUTH PLAINS: Soil moisture is short to adequate. Severe
thunderstorms with high winds and hail were reported in the
northeastern counties. High wind damaged several center pivots,
and hail damaged vehicles and knocked out windows. A tornado in
Crosby County damaged center pivots and barns. One house was
destroyed. Corn planting continues; some of the corn that was
previously planted received hail damage. Winter wheat is in fair
to good condition. Wheat is surviving against rust pressure.
Producers are irrigating their best fields. Cotton and peanut
planting occurred in some counties. Pasture and rangeland are in
fair to good condition and need rain. Cattle are in good
condition.
ROLLING PLAINS: Soil moisture is adequate to surplus.
Rain and high winds were reported across the district.
Temperatures are warming up. Forage has increased thanks to
moisture. Wheat fields are beginning to mature. Livestock are in
good condition. Producers will begin planting cotton and peanuts
as soon as soil moisture allows. Very little insect pressure has
been reported. Livestock are in good body condition.
NORTH: Soil moisture is very short to adequate. Corn is
rated fair to excellent. Top soil moisture is beginning to be an
issue. Pasture and rangeland are rated poor to good and are in
need of moisture. Many producers are cutting their first hay
crop this week. Clover has done very well this season. Livestock
are in excellent body condition. The cattle market is active.
Flies and bugs are emerging. Pecan trees are suffering from
worms.
EAST TEXAS: Soil moisture is short. Light rain fell in
some areas; high winds damaged fences, barns and homes. Onions,
squash, beans and potatoes are being harvested. The cattle
market is strong with high demand. Cool season grasses are
playing out rapidly, but warm season grasses are growing well.
Hay is being fertilized in some areas.
FAR WEST: Soil moisture is short. Most counties in the district
received rain, high winds and hail, but with little
accumulation. Range conditions continue to deteriorate with
increasing temperatures and drying winds. Cotton planting has
started. Livestock conditions remain good; prices are constant.
WEST CENTRAL: Soil moisture is short. Moisture is needed
for most spring planting to begin. Some storms were reported
late in the week. Field preparations continue. Producers are
cutting and baling wheat or oat hay in some fields. Wheat
harvest is good. Sorghum planting is winding down. Corn is
planted and is beginning to emerge. Some cotton producers are
starting to plant where soil moisture is adequate. Cotton that
has been planted and irrigated is in excellent condition. Most
range and pastures are in growing well due to rain. Cattle
prices remain high. Livestock conditions remain good to
excellent. Insect problems have been noted in pecan trees and
gardens. Bees are a major concern for homeowners.
CENTRAL: Soil moisture is short. Some rain was reported,
but more is needed for dryland crops. Melons are doing well with
dry weather. Ryegrass, oats and wheat are being harvested for
hay. Cattle are in good condition. The first cuttings of coastal
grass are expected to be poor quality. Insects are being found
in grain sorghum.
SOUTHEAST: Soil moisture is adequate. Some parts of the
district received 5 inches of rain. Warmer temperatures were
reported. Crops and pastures are making a great recovery. Ponds
and small lakes are full. Winter annuals are reaching maturity.
The pecan crop is in good condition; no casebearer eggs have
been found. Producers are fertilizing pastures and cutting hay.
Soybean planting continued in Liberty County. Rice planting is
complete.
SOUTHWEST: Soil moisture adequate. After about 73 dry
days, the district received much-needed rain. In addition,
temperatures cooled down and created an excellent growing
environment. The rain came too late to help wheat and oats, but
will benefit corn, cotton, sorghum, sesame, sunflowers, peanuts
and spring vegetables. The rain will also help pasture and
rangeland. Cabbage and onion harvests have been postponed due to
wet conditions. The rain will save thousands of acres of crops,
but more is needed to sustain growth.
COASTAL BEND: Soil moisture is short to adequate.
Scattered rainfall helped moisture-stressed crops. Hail damaged
about 3,000 acres of cotton in Nueces County. Some late soybeans
are being planted. Cattle prices continue to be good.
SOUTH: Soil moisture is short. Drought stress on row
crops is increasing and potential yields are decreasing. Citrus
harvest is complete. Vegetable harvests are winding down. The
majority of sorghum will not be harvested. Cotton is in
desperate need of water. Due to very poor range conditions
producers are providing cattle with supplemental feed. |