As farmers we become deeply in tune with what is going on outside with the weather and we have learned how the changes affect the plants. Just like us, most plants like things to be consistent, from moisture to temperature, extreme swings result in plant stress. As farmers, it is our job to guess how all of that will work out so that each plant can get as close as possible to its own genetic potential.
Here on the farm, things went from the edge of drought conditions to flood conditions over this past week or two. When we get standing water in the field, it doesn't allow oxygen into the soil, starving beneficial soil microbes as well as the plant roots, who have to work overtime in an attempt to take oxygen out of the air and push into the soil for nutrients to be made available. We call this condition hypoxic soil, and if it persists vegetable plants will not survive. Lucky for us it looks like we will lose less than 10% due to raised beds and good soil practices which help to mitigate the situation.
