Inside Weather
This summer requires the reel and the trencher
We have become accustomed to it in the last 3 years: a very dry summer with hardly any rainfall. Will June show a repeat of this weather type or will summer 2021 be of a different nature? In any case, the occurrence of severe and local thunderstorms remains a risk, the weather models show.
With the start of the meteorological summer, the weather has finally turned to a summer weather type. Temperatures are slightly above 20 degrees, which is average for this time of year. Real major outliers are not expected in the coming period either. Ideal growing conditions for the crops that are catching up.
Cycle of high pressure areas
severe thunderstorms shocked parts of North Brabant, Drenthe, Groningen and also Flanders last week. In a short time, almost the entire monthly amount of precipitation falls. We must continue to take such quirks into account this month, meteorologists say. This has to do with the Azores high pressure area to the west of the Netherlands. Again and again high pressure areas split off towards our country, as the weather maps for June show.
These cycles produce moderately warm weather followed by showers. As a result, it will remain sunny and warm, but a storm front will always follow after that. With current calculations, this is more or less the character for the month of June and perhaps the entire summer. It will become more uncertain, especially in the second half of June. It can even get a little colder due to a northwest wind coming from the sea. Such a colder period in June is normal for our country.
Moisture quickly consumed
What does this mean for the farmer? In fact, your irrigation reel and your trencher must be ready for use. If the dry weather continues this month, the moisture supply that was built up in the past month will have evaporated again. The crops pull hard at these temperatures and many hours of sunshine, thus catching up on some of their stunted growth. The first irrigation reels are already turning their rounds.
At the same time, a trencher and shovel are unfortunately also necessary when such a heavy thunderstorm or cloudburst moves over your region. Because these showers have an enormous local character, it is best to discover large differences within a few kilometers. These showers do more harm than good for the crops. Being able to drain and drain water quickly is crucial.
Grass cut two
The vast majority of Dutch livestock farmers - together with their contractors - have been busy last week to get the first cut of grass in, which has been successful everywhere. Anyone who had already silaged the grass at the beginning of May can now almost start the second cut. This has already been done in some places. The grassland grows well with moisture and sun, although the yellow stubble that has emerged from under the thick pack of grass stands out. Fortunately, the mercury does not rise enormously, so that the sod does not burn.
Arable farmers on clay soil were able to till their potato plots, where the plants were usually already above. This does not cause any problems and within a day or two they are back on top of their backs. The plots planted early have clearly started to grow, although there is still a lot of catching up to do. This also applies to onions and sugar beets, for example. Plots have also been planted in various places in the past week. Especially in the seed potato area on the Wadden coast, in North Holland and the northeast.
Damage due to rain
In the latter place, growers were unpleasantly surprised by heavy showers at the end of last week, sometimes with the planter still in the country. The ground was not quite capable everywhere, but necessity breaks the law. A single plot or wet corner may be abandoned for this season. In places where heavy precipitation repeatedly fell in May, crop damage is clearly visible, such as in the Noordoostpolder. Onions, chicory, carrots and potatoes have suffered considerably from the rain. There are even plots where the beet plants have rotted away. Such reports also come from the northern arable area, although the problems here are also very local.
All of Europe enjoys summery weather. This is noticeable in the reporting about the upcoming grain harvest. Crops are catching up in France, Germany and other European countries. However, there is still a lag in growth. Where there was a lot of precipitation, there are sometimes quality issues.
Niels van der Boom
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