South Texas cool-season crops progress well but face water woes

Water shortages and market fluctuations are causing significant challenges for producers in the Texas Winter Garden and lower Rio Grande Valley, two major growing regions for the state, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts. 

Drought has particularly impacted the lower Rio Grande Valley, said Larry Stein, AgriLife Extension horticultural specialist and professor, Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences, Uvalde.

“Water woes are the theme of this year’s growing season,” Stein said. “We’re in dire straits here in the southern part of the state.” 

Despite good soil moisture in North Texas and East Texas, Stein said drought conditions worsen moving south from the Texas Winter Garden.

Shrinking water allotments and drought have put growers in a bind, said Juan Anciso, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension horticulture program leader and associate department head, Department of Horticultural Science based at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco.

South Texas’ 24 irrigation districts are nearing the end of their water allotments for the 2025 cool-season crop, Anciso said. The districts’ average water capacity is around 21%. 

While water runs short, Anciso said South Texas producers are growing more onions and other leafy greens such as mustard greens, turnip greens, parsley, cilantro and celery to get the most out of their remaining irrigation allotments.  

Stein added the water shortages have led to a notable increase in onion acreage in the Texas Winter Garden. In the Rio Grande Valley, 7,000 of the region’s 15,000-18,000 horticultural crop acres were planted with onions this year.

Cold snaps, cooled markets

Anciso said the arctic blasts that hit Texas in January and mid-February did not cause notable damage to crops. 

“There were concerns, and we’ve seen some effects from the arctic blasts, but it’s been very minimal,” Anciso said. 

While cold temperatures did not sting crops, stagnant prices and higher input costs are making it tough for growers, Stein said.  

“Growers are facing a status quo situation,” he said. “Input costs have gone up, but the price return to the farms hasn’t really increased that much.”

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

Central

Low-temperature records were broken during the recent bitter cold spell. Temperatures dropped to the low teens, with wind chills below zero. Many counties experienced light snow dustings, while a few southern counties experienced minor ice accumulation. Producers spent little time in the fields preparing for spring planting due to the cold weather. Corn planting was expected to begin when soil temperatures reach around 50 degrees. Producers were assessing the extent of damage to small grains and less cold-tolerant crops. Weed pressure increased in pastures. The low temperatures led to additional hay and supplemental feedings and were especially hard on newborn calves. The cattle market remained strong.

Rolling Plains

The district continued to face exceptionally dry conditions following a stretch of extreme cold. Temperatures plunged well below freezing, worsening an already moisture-deprived landscape. Lows in the single digits and wind chills near zero forced livestock producers to scramble to provide feed and water. With little to no precipitation, soil moisture levels remained critically low, increasing concerns for farmers and ranchers.

Coastal Bend

Light drizzle and freezing temperatures halted corn planting in some areas, though early planted corn emerged without damage. Warmer and drier conditions were expected to allow planting to resume, including some sorghum. Soil moisture remained inadequate despite recent light rainfall up to 0.5 inch. Wet field conditions delayed fertilizer applications and pre-planting work in some areas. Pastures began to green up, and livestock were grazing more, slowing hay consumption. However, forage growth remained limited, and significant rainfall was needed to improve conditions. Cattle condition declined but was expected to recover with improved grazing.

East

The district experienced below-freezing temperatures along with rainfall in most areas. Houston County reported 4-6 inches of rain, with some sleet and snow. Pasture conditions remained wet, and pasture and rangeland conditions ranged from very poor to good. Subsoil and topsoil moisture conditions were adequate. Producers looked forward to the forecasted warmer temperatures. Cattle markets remained strong, though Smith County reported very low sale numbers due to the weather. Livestock were in fair to good condition with heavy supplementation. Wild pigs caused widespread damage to pastures and fields.

Southeast

Some areas received beneficial moisture from showers, while some areas reported saturated soil from heavy rainfall. The cold snap slowed the growth of warm-season forages, but warmer temperatures were helping spring green-up. Wheat and cool-season grasses thrived in many areas, and ryegrass and clovers for livestock were growing rapidly. Oats and winter wheat were in good condition, and pasture and rangeland ratings varied from very poor to good. Soil moisture levels ranged from short to adequate.

South Plains

Temperatures were extremely cold. Producers provided supplemental feed to cattle and struggled to keep water sources open and/or flowing due to the cold. Farmers were unable to work in the fields due to below-zero wind chills. Subsoil and topsoil moisture levels were short due to a lack of recent moisture. Producers were watering and continuing to prepare the ground for planting when temperatures allowed. Cattle were in good condition.

Panhandle

The district experienced record-breaking cold temperatures along with very dry conditions. Cold weather limited field activity. Below-freezing temperatures damaged some wheat. Supplemental feeding of cattle continued, and spring calving began. Soil moisture ranged from very short to adequate. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to fair. Overall, crop conditions were poor to good.

North

Topsoil and subsoil moisture ranged from short to surplus across the district. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to good. Counties experienced record-low temperatures with a few scattered showers over the past week, and temperatures dropped below freezing with very cold, windy days. Last week’s freezing event had a noticeable impact on winter forage and green vegetation. The overall effects were expected to be evaluated over the coming weeks. The cold snap likely set back winter wheat and oat fields. Hay feeding continued, and pond levels remained good. Livestock remained in good condition.

Far West

Temperatures dropped to frigid levels, with flurries and a hard frost. Lows remained in the single digits for three straight days. Most agricultural activities paused due to the cold. By the weekend, temperature highs reached the mid-80s in some areas. Conditions became drier, causing soil in fields to blow more. Producers continued plowing to prevent soil erosion but bringing up soil with any moisture proved difficult. Most wheat fields died, with only a few irrigated fields showing any green. Those irrigated fields were set to be terminated soon for watermelon planting. A few growers started irrigating for cotton, but most planned to delay irrigation unless sufficient rainfall replenished the soil profile enough. The extreme cold impacted livestock, requiring extra feed and protection from freezing temperatures. Water sources froze and required monitoring. Ranchers worked to prevent losses and maintain herd health. Livestock remained in poor to good condition. Some producers sent cattle to market due to the high cost of feed. In the Rio Grande Valley, ground preparation continued for cotton, some alfalfa and orchard floor management. Field rows were listed up, and effluent water began flowing in the irrigation canal system. Water allocations for 2025 were expected to be scarce, and subsequent cotton production and planting was expected to be cut in half or more. Water availability was expected to be prioritized for pecans and planted alfalfa.