Parts of the state are seeing some rain after a three-week dry spell, but is it enough to bring relief to certain crops and plants?
Those in charge of Millane Nurseries say no. The 250-acre nursery in Cromwell received less than two-tenths of an inch of rain Tuesday, and the sprinklers stayed on throughout the morning.
"We’re still out watering today because we didn’t get enough rain. We haven’t gotten enough rain in weeks!" said Millane Nurseries president Michael Millane.
Without enough rain, growers here are having to throw out a lot of their plants. The after-effects of last winter are also causing them to die.
Warm weather vegetables are also delayed because of how long the snow stayed on the ground.
"The ground is taking a very, very long time to warm up," said Lisa Lancia, who works at the nursery. "A lot of your vegetables need at least 50 degrees soil temperature to do anything."
Planting vegetables before it’s warm enough will cause them to die or not grow at all, Lancia said. Luckily, Millane Nurseries is seeing signs of some bulbs.
"They’re actually starting to produce some peppers," said Lancia.
With winter behind them and sunny days ahead, the nursery is hoping for more rain – at least a half inch to get them by and save thousands of dollars in irrigation expenses.
"Our water bill last year was about $20,000 for the year. For the year! Now, we also have 250 acres, but that’s a lot of money," said Millane.
Growers recommend planting crops after Memorial Day weekend. They say it's best to water more often than not.
