Bad weather brings problems for farmers and gardeners
Some fields at Simmons Farm in Peters Township are oversaturated because of rain, and the wet conditions make it tough to get to the corn crops.
Scott Simmons of Simmons Farm in Peters Township inspects corn in one of the many fields around the farm. Because of excessive rain, portions of the crop are dying in the field.
Persistent rainy weather is making work difficult for area gardeners, farmers and lawn care businesses.
For the past month, rain fell on almost a daily basis, far more than is typically seen.
According to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, last month was the eighth-wettest June in the area’s history. The area received more than 7 inches of rain in June, almost double the average of 4.3 inches. And the trend has continued in July.
For gardeners and farmers, this presents many issues.
“What happens when we get a lot of rain is plants aren’t going to grow as well because there’s no sun,” said Lee Stivers, extension educator at the Penn State Extension office in Washington.
In addition to lack of sun, Stivers said too much water can cause root diseases. Nutrients such as nitrogen can be “leached out of the soil,” she said. Stivers also pointed out weeds will grow more rapidly because of excessive rainfall.
Stivers suggested gardeners make sure they take care of weeds as they pop up and pay attention to good soil management. She also stressed they avoid walking in their gardens when they are muddy, because it will cause soil to compact, which presses the oxygen from it and makes it harder for water to drain.
Farmers also faced difficulty, but Stivers said they are handling the situation well.
“I’m amazed at how well they are coping,” Stivers said.
Scott Simmons of Simmons Farm in Peters Township said the wet weather makes the job more difficult. He pointed to the field crops, where the rain drowned the roots and caused plants to die, and said crops that touch the ground, such as cucumbers, become rotted because of moisture. Fruit trees, however, are not as affected.
Another issue that arises is crops are typically planted on a set schedule, and inclement weather can throw that off.
“We’re having trouble maintaining our planting schedule,” Simmons said. “There’s not a ton we can do, so we work around it.”
One way to do that is by planting crops by hand, which is what Simmons has been doing with cabbage since the wet ground prevents use of a tractor.
At the end of the day, the crops are grown to be sold, and the weather also has had an adverse affect on that aspect.
“From a business end, the business is way off,” Simmons said, adding customers aren’t as likely to go out and buy produce when the weather is so severe.
For Harry Loveland’s Cherry Tree Services business in Washington, which offers tree services, landscaping and lawn care, the weather has also proved problematic.
“We’re motoring through, but it is slowing us down,” Loveland said.
Loveland said the soft, saturated soil it is making it easier for trees to become uprooted and fall over. When it comes to lawn care, grass cutting can sometimes be impossible because of how wet it is, and it often is growing faster than his workers can cut it. Regardless, Loveland said Cherry Tree Services is still working seven days a week, rain or shine.
“We’re having a stellar year, but it is hard on the employees working in these conditions,” Loveland said.
While Cherry Tree also removes downed trees, businesses that are focused specifically on lawn care have been hit harder.
“It’s wreaked havoc on our schedule,” said Mike Songer of Spring-Green in Washington. “You can’t kill weeds in the rain … We’re working six days a week around the rain.”