The relationship between a farmer and the weather varies from people who are not affected or depend on the changing weather conditions. For people who love outdoor activities such as hiking and traveling, a sunny day is all they would wish. However, farmers want balanced weather conditions, with moderate rainfall alternating with a sunny day.

On most occasions, the relationship can be hard to describe since the weather has become indispensable and unpredictable. Besides, the ecological requirements for different crops vary.

All farmers require rainfall

The water requirements for different crops, which mean that most crops show a different response when the water levels are beyond what they require. Farmers usually pray for balanced temperatures, sunshine, and rainfall for their crops to achieve maximum productivity. However, this does not happen and they have to adapt to the unpredictable weather patterns and adopt various strategies to achieve the balance.

Working with different weather requirements

Fruit trees require different weather conditions to flourish, which means that farmers have different weather needs. For farmers rearing livestock and growing multiple crops, the view of optimum weather becomes more complex.

A rainy season with cold-weather helps out thirsty crops. However, another crop might require a warm, dry spell to fully mature for harvest. For instance, crops such as grapes require temperature shifts between day and night to preserve their acidity and to lengthen the growing season, giving them more time to mature. However, extreme temperature variations in other crops such as watermelon and citrus promote disease development. Before investing in fruit trees, farmers should first understand the ecological requirements of the plant they want to grow and the soil and weather conditions in their region.

The need for conversation in extreme weather unifies farmers

With the increasing effects of climate change and extreme global warming, predicting weather patterns has become difficult. No farmer hopes for harsh weather conditions such as extreme cold or heat, drought, and flooding.

When a certain region is affected by extreme conditions, the need for conversations to devise better ways to adapt to the changing climate brings different farmers together. For fruit farmers, when severe weather conditions strike, farmers from different agricultural communities come together to share ideas and resources to cushion themselves from the impact. For instance, prolonged heavy rainfall favors the development of diseases such as powdery mildew, anthracnose, and root rot in plants such as strawberries, grapes, and watermelon. Prolonged drier seasons with extreme temperatures favor the growth of thrips which can cause massive damage to plants, especially when they attack fruit trees during the flowering stage. Such uncertain times bring farmers together to share ideas on better strategies they can implement in their farms to keep their crops healthy and productive.

Prioritizing on weather monitoring helps in achieving success

The weather requirements for different crops vary. Some crops require a certain temperature range to germinate, grow, and form fruits. Temperatures, humidity, rainfall, and wind can be used to predict the occurrence of various diseases and pests. Investing in weather monitoring can help farmers obtain essential information to assist them in devising planting plans, crop protection and farm management programs, and harvesting strategies. This helps the crops to achieve optimum performance and to avoid yield losses.