Florida growers are praying for the beginning of the rainy season, after a drought caused severe wildfires throughout south and central regions of the state in the past month. On Monday, more than 200 separate fires were burning in Florida, covering about 19,000 acres, reported USA Today.
Ben Bolusky, executive vice president of the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association, says the wildfires have had a "negligible" effect on Florida's $15.2 billion nursery and landscape industry. The drought, which he says started in 2006, is a "different story."
"Those who are experiencing direct impact are those who sell bedding plants, and annual growers," he says. Bolusky also says growers have reported a dramatic reduction in business, because clients can't water their plants as much. In south Florida, residents can only water their plants during certain times of the day, between one and three times a week, depending on what town they live in.
The compounded impact of the drought and a slow economy has put added pressure on the state's growers.
"Construction has been down in Florida," says Jim Pugh of American Farms, LLC in Naples, Fla. "Due to frequent hurricanes, people are not buying materials to re-build homes and gardens. The drought has exacerbated slow sales. They aren't dismal, but we are not posting large increases we usually might. People have a tendency to buy less until the rains kick in."
Monty Knox of Knox Nursery in Winter Garden, Fla., where there are no current water restrictions, says "My primary sales area isn't in the worst area being hit. [However], south Florida is being hammered pretty hard."
So far, the water restrictions do not seem to be having an effect on growers' crops, as agricultural businesses are permitted to use more water than the average South Florida resident. "We have sufficient water -- there is just a reduced time frame and duration for when we are allowed to water" says Pugh. "It has not adversely affected quality of our crop -- we just have to be a bit more cautious."
Terri Cantwell of Bates Sons and Daughters in Lake Placid, Fla., agrees. "We have crops in the field and we are able to get water to them, but it's not the same as getting rainfall. I wouldn't want to go another two weeks without rain."
Bolusky says that while he hasn't heard of growers losing crops due to the drought, "it may be hard for nurseries in South Florida -- they can only water for 10 hours a day -- that may not be enough." He also says that growers whose water sources, like canals, have dried up also may be facing serious challenges if the rainy season doesn't come soon.
The states' growers, however, are hoping that tropical storm Barry, which hit last week, signals a break in the dry spell. "It appears a more typical wet season is beginning, and that hopefully will enable a loosening of water restrictions," says Bolusky.
--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org
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