November 15, 2024 and

Irrigation for late season perennial fruit crops during drought conditions

As New Jersey continues to experience record low precipitation levels since September, the state Department of Environmental Protection has declared a drought warning throughout the state. It is important to note that the drought warning does not call for any mandatory water use restrictions or bans. However, if the drought conditions worsen, the state may implement stricter measures to prevent further losses.

We have received many questions from growers, most who have completed harvesting for the season, on whether plants should still be receiving irrigation. Our recommendation is to continue to irrigate plants until they defoliate. For perennial fruit crops, in the fall months flower buds are forming for the next year’s crop. The leaves that remain on the tree are actively working to photosynthesize, converting light into energy the plant needs to grow.

Once leaves begin to turn yellow, brown, and drop off, you can stop supplemental watering. However, if you are in a prolonged drought, as we are currently, there are some factors to consider. For perennial crops that overwinter, severe drought can compromise their ability to store sufficient reserves, which can lead to reduced vigor and potential losses during the winter. It can be the case that during periods of drought, plants may invest more energy into developing deeper root systems; however, over a prolonged period of time, persistent stresses can hinder root development, which can negatively impact water intake and nutrient availability. Additionally, whereas hydrated soils can buffer the penetration of freezing temperatures through the soil surface, dry soils do not offer the same protection, and freezing temperatures can penetrate deeper.

There are several strategies that can be adopted to mitigate the impact of drought on fruit crops.

  • A proper irrigation schedule that includes supplemental watering during growth stages can help alleviate drought impacts and stress. When possible irrigate trees through leaf drop, and avoid irrigation on warm days (60°F and higher).
  • Mulch can be applied around plants to help conserve soil moisture and reduce evaporation.
  • Soil sensors equipped with data loggers can be deployed in the field to measure soil moisture and water stress and report measurements to a computer or mobile device.
  • Regularly monitoring your crop for signs of drought stress including wilting, leaf curling and discoloration, and reduced growth, is critical for timely intervention and applying appropriate measures.
Filed Under: Blueberry, Fruit, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With: ,
March 2, 2023

NJDEP Bureau of Water Allocation and Well Permitting Workshops Held

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection coordinated workshops in the past two weeks to assist farmers with Agricultural Water Certifications/Registrations who needed 5-year renewals. Those farmers with certifications expiring in 2023 were invited by NJDEP to attend the scheduled workshops. NJDEP Staff visited the 4 counties: Gloucester, Salem, Burlington, and Cumberland to complete renewals for 2023. These workshops are an efficient way to make sure forms are accurate, complete, and acceptable to NJDEP – avoiding the need to mail back paperwork to correct any information. If a farmer receives an invitation in the future to attend these NJDEP coordinated workshops, it is really important to attend and update your forms.

If a farmer was unable to attend workshops, or their county did not have a workshop, they must complete the 5-year renewal form mailed by DEP and make an appointment with the County Agricultural Agent in their county to finalize the forms in order to keep their status current. County Agricultural Agents do not have access to obtaining the renewal packets and farmers must bring them completed to the appointment or contact NJDEP for another copy, if they cannot locate their copy.

As per the NJDEP’s instruction, Agricultural Agents are to complete an “agent irrigation calculations sheet” and sign off on the form prior the forms are submitted to DEP. The forms can also be reviewed during an appointment with the Agricultural Agent. All other portions of the form are the responsibility of the farmer to complete. Also, it is important to read all instructions – that includes having a written daily log of the last month water was used in the past year to submit with the 5-year renewal application.

If a farmer does not have an Agricultural Water Use Certification or Registration, they can contact the NJDEP using the information below to obtain the forms.

If a farmer has any questions, NJDEP asks they contact staff at:

NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Supply and Geoscience, Bureau of Water Allocation and Well Permitting, Mail Code 401-04Q, P.O. Box 420, Trenton, NJ 08625-0420, 609-984-6831. Also see the website at http://www.nj.gov/dep/watersupply/

 

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Fruit, Nursery, Organic Production, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,
October 7, 2020

Update – Agricultural Water Permits and COVID19

In accordance with the Permit Extension Act signed by NJ Governor Murphy on July 1, the term of certain governmental permits, approvals, and deadlines that were due to expire on March 9, 2020, or the specified period following it, were extended. In addition and in accord with the rules published in the NJ Register on Sept. 8, an official request for such an extension via a NJDEP website was required for approval of the COVID-19 extension period by October 8, 2020.

These requests were finalized today on behalf of the growers through information provided by NJDEP Bureau staff and the efforts of ANR Department members to obtain missing required information, updating spreadsheets, and inputting information online.

This effort encompassed 613 agricultural water permits across the state with expiration dates from 2020 through 2024. In consultation with NJDEP, it was decided to include a wide a window as possible to accommodate the unknown future regarding COVID19 and NJ’s public health emergency declarations.

Growers who currently hold an ag water permit and a valid email address should have already received an auto-generated email from the NJDEP website once their information was uploaded confirming a permit extension request. If the permit holder had no email on record, ANR emails were included and the county faculty or staff member received the confirmation email. These should be filed locally with the allocation permit information, and a printed copy shared with the grower as soon as feasible.

I want to acknowledge Terry Pilawski, Jennifer Myers, Matthew Myers, Christa VanHaren, Yvens Dessalines (NJDEP) and Monique Purcell (NJDA) who reached out to initiate this collaboration, and Talia Zirin, Amina Lamrabat, and our ANR members and county office staff across the state for assisting me in this important endeavor.

The accommodations provided by the Permit Extension Act of 2020 supplement actions taken by Governor Murphy by way of Executive Order and by the NJDEP to address the impacts of COVID-19.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,