Continuing drought and high temperatures putting pressure on Georgia farmers: "They need our prayers"
The record-breaking temperatures and weeks without rain have Georgia gardeners and farmers worried about their plants and crops.
Greenspace Director Alan Ashe from the Wyld Center has recommendations to keep plants alive.
"If you haven't put your plants in the ground yet, you're going to want to think about plants that are a little more drought-tolerant," Ashe said.
For those who have already planted, he has a plan.
"You're going to want to water early in the morning. You're going to water deep, you're going to water consistently," he said.
Landscaping with water flow in mind can also help.
"The designers built a series of rain gardens," Ashe said. "So as the rain is collecting and coming through, it filters through our rain garden system, and then we planted all the different rain gardens with native plants that have adapted and can thrive even during times of drought."
Ashe recommends planting native species because they're used to Georgia's ever-changing climate.
The heat is impacting more than gardeners: a representative from the Georgia Department of Agriculture says some spring crops are coming in nearly a month early.
In a statement, Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J. Harper said that the prolonged drought has had an impact on hay production and has brought added stress to the state's crops and livestock.
"With nearly all of Georgia now in drought conditions, farmers are being forced to make tough decisions every day—from increasing irrigation and managing rising input costs to protecting livestock and preserving what little soil moisture remains as they begin to make planting decisions," Harper said.
He said that Georgia's farm families are "incredibly resilient," but the drought conditions are putting serious pressure on their future yields and long-term viability.
"Our team at the Department is closely monitoring conditions and will be working with state and federal partners to support producers as they navigate this increasingly difficult situation," Harper said. "Our farmers are the most resilient people in the world—but they need rain, they need our prayers, and they need relief soon."
And those prayers will be needed. According to the CBS News Atlanta meteorologists, the next chance of rain for Georgia is early Sunday morning, but the amount won't be enough to make much of an impact on the already-high drought levels.
