Farmers tend to crops earlier than usual due to warm weather

BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — It’s no surprise that this winter has been one of the warmest on record.

70% of December, January and February was above average, but could this winter heat wave impact the quality or quantity of food on your plate?

Flowers, trees, and even farms are beginning to see more color earlier than usual.

Henry Burkert with Greenlands Farm says he has learned from experience what crops to plant and when. Although the warm weather has prompted an early growing season, he said it doesn’t seem to play a huge impact of his current crop.

Only 20 nights since December 1 temperatures were at or below freezing, but Burkert says a freeze or frost would likely not bother early spring crops like cabbage, lettuce, and onions.

“However if people are going to be brave enough to try and start their garden thinking that it’s coming along early, with the warm weather, so they can do tomatoes and watermelons,” Burkert said. “They will be in for sad surprise cause it will kill them, literally.”

He says the warm temperatures do invite some unwanted guests.

“It’s always a race against time to beat the insects and beat the weeds because those are our biggest enemies,” Burkert said.

He says use a fabric cover to shield your plants from frost.

“Anything that doesn’t come in contact with the foliage is the best kind of cover,” Burkert said.

The reason behind this record winter is because of La Nina which tends to bring warm and dry weather to the eastern Carolinas.

Meteorological winter, which is December, January, and February, was the 12th warmest in Wilmington. Typically, the average last freeze in the Cape Fear Region is around Match 20th.