Lafayette, LA – As sugarcane enters its crucial growing season, the unpredictable temperatures are raising concerns for farmers in St. Martin Parish. According to experts, this time of year is pivotal for the crop’s development, with the first green shoots typically appearing by the end of February.
Stuart Gauthier, a county agent with the LSU Ag Center, emphasized the importance of the next few weeks for sugarcane growth. “This is the time of year where we need the cane to start growing,” he said. “By the end of February, we start making our crop for the next year, and we expect to see some green shoots that can hopefully develop into strong stalks.”
However, Gauthier expressed concern over the predicted freezing temperatures in the coming days. Typically, such cold spells can cause significant damage to sugarcane, which is particularly vulnerable at this stage of growth. “Normally, when you’re talking about low temperatures like that, you’d be worried about the cane getting damaged,” Gauthier explained.
A hard freeze could potentially cause the cane to freeze back, delaying growth. “If we experience a hard freeze, it could freeze back the cane. The plant will then have to rely on its eyes to shoot up new growth, but this process delays everything and drains energy from the stubble, which ultimately sets the crop back,” Gauthier added.
Despite these concerns, sugarcane farmer Kassi Leger remains optimistic that the crop will not face significant setbacks. She believes that while the cold snap may temporarily slow growth, the temperature of the soil will prevent lasting damage. “The cold might delay the growing process, but the soil temperature won’t get cold enough for long enough to cause long-term damage,” Leger explained. “Additionally, the upcoming rain will help seal the ground and retain heat within the soil.”
Both Gauthier and Leger agreed that a snowstorm in January may have helped protect the sugarcane from potential freeze damage. Gauthier noted that the snow had acted as a natural blanket, insulating the soil and holding in the heat. “The snow helped maintain the temperature of the soil, which was fortunate for us,” he said. Leger added that the snow provided much-needed insulation for the crop, but stressed that farmers hope to avoid recurring freezes. “Every freeze is different, and we were lucky this time to have that snow blanket,” she said. “We don’t want to see repeated freezes. We’d prefer the cane to green up in the spring and stay green moving forward.”
Looking ahead to the current growing season, both experts remain cautiously optimistic. Gauthier noted that farmers had taken the opportunity to trim away dead shoots from the previous season, which will allow for healthier growth when the weather stabilizes. “When you look at these fields, our growers had the chance to clip off all those dead shoots,” Gauthier said. “Now, we’re dealing with this little freeze, but we’re hopeful that it won’t set back the young green shoots too much.”
Despite the cold snap, both Gauthier and Leger are hopeful that the sugarcane will recover and continue to grow as the season progresses. “It’s a tough time for the crop, but with a little luck and some favorable weather, we’re confident the cane will bounce back,” Gauthier said. “This is just one of the challenges of farming, and we’re optimistic that we’ll come through it.”
As sugarcane growers face the uncertainty of the upcoming cold snap, they remain focused on nurturing the crop through the rest of the season and hope for stable temperatures to ensure a successful harvest.