The sun is back! How to recover crops after weeks of rain, cold and wind: soil, plant health and irrigation

The sun is back! How to recover crops after weeks of rain, cold and wind: soil, plant health and irrigation

The past few weeks have been marked by continuous rainfall, wind and low temperatures. These weather conditions directly affect crop balance but also create opportunities to optimise crop management once the sun returns. We analyse what happens in the soil, what sanitary risks appear and how to adjust irrigation to restore optimal crop development.

Prolonged rainfall and cold temperatures significantly modify soil structure and fertility:

Main effects

• Loss of structure: excess water compacts the soil and reduces root aeration.
• Nutrient leaching: elements such as nitrogen or potassium move out of the root zone.
• Altered microbial activity: cold and soil saturation slow down beneficial microorganisms.
• pH changes: the washing of salts may modify nutrient availability.

How to recover it

• Apply soil structure correctors and organic matter.
• Rebalance fertilisation according to soil analysis.
• Use root biostimulants.
• Avoid mechanical soil work while the soil remains saturated.

Technical tip: the best moment to intervene is when the soil is moist but not waterlogged.