The season is running about three to four weeks ahead of what we have come to expect. The spring is hot and dry which so far has progressed things well.
But the soil moisture levels are dropping and without rain in the next week or two the growth of many crops will be compromised.
Already we are seeing slow growth rates on the pastures and poor establishment on seeded areas, both pasture and green manures.
Tunnel crops relying as they do on artificial irrigation are going along nicely but with a tendency to run to seed quickly.
The season has started much dryer than previous years so we hope to get rain to stop many of the field crops getting stunted, and the pastures burning off.
