TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – A Lindale farmer says a late March frost and a dry summer have created back-to-back challenges for his operation this season.
Victor Zillmer, who runs Zillmer Farms, said the frost in March delayed crops that would normally be producing by now. The delay, he said, has left his plants more vulnerable to the drought that followed.
Zillmer said he is irrigating orchards, blackberries and row crops continuously to keep plants alive. He said the dry soil absorbs water so quickly that irrigated ground can dry out again within a single day.
“Normally we have irrigation just to supplement the rain,” Zillmer said. “But this year with so little rain and it’s so hot, basically you’re on a full-time irrigation.”
He also noted that over-watering in short intervals can cause salt to accumulate on top of the soil, and that plants require enough water for it to move down through the ground.
Despite the conditions, Zillmer said he is already planting for the fall harvest, including watermelons, cantaloupes, peas, beans and potatoes, timed to produce before the next frost.
He said purple hull peas and okra are currently producing because they tolerate heat. Tomatoes, he said, are not producing because temperatures are too high, but he expects them to become available again in October and early November.
Gregg County and surrounding counties are now eligible for USDA drought disaster loans, which farmers can apply for to help cover supplies and other needs related to the drought.
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