ga-crop-weather State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date March 24, 2008 Issue GA-CW1208 Agricultural Summary March 24, 2008 SMALL GRAINS GROWING RAPIDLY Temperatures warmed up this week, in time for the official start of spring, according to the USDA, NASS, Georgia Field Office. Daily average high temperatures were in the mid-60's to mid-70's. Average lows ranged from the upper 30's to upper 50's. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 2% very short, 6% short, 75% adequate, and 17% surplus. Most of the state received rain showers on Wednesday. Recent rains have benefited pastures and other crops, but more rain is needed to achieve adequate subsoil moisture levels. Small grains were growing rapidly. No major insect or disease problems have been found in wheat; although, some sulfur deficiencies were seen in sandy land. Greenhouse tobacco plants were in good condition. There were reports of damaged trees and vegetables from the severe storms of last week. Planting was underway for corn and fresh market vegetables where the soil temperatures were high enough. Other activities included land preparation for corn and tobacco planting, spreading poultry litter, pasture weed control, hay feeding for livestock, and the routine care of poultry and livestock. County Extension Agents reported an average of 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork. Crop Progress for Week Ending 03/23/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage : This Week : Prev Week : Prev Year : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn Planted : 19 7 44 16 Corn Emerged : 5 1 14 3 Winter Wheat Jointing : 67 49 63 24 Winter Wheat Boot : 15 4 16 6 Peaches Blooming : 74 40 57 23 Tobacco Transplanted : 1 NA 6 1 Watermelons Planted : 12 4 25 9 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition for Week Ending 03/23/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn : 0 0 35 59 6 Winter Wheat : 1 2 23 52 22 Range and Pasture : 7 15 44 33 1 Onions : 0 0 1 97 2 Peaches : 0 7 71 22 0 Vegetables : 0 3 44 51 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 03/23/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This Week :Previous Week : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Very Short : 2 2 NA Short : 6 8 NA Adequate : 75 69 NA Surplus : 17 21 NA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 03/23/08, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Short : Short : Adequate : Surplus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 4 13 74 9 District 2 (NC) : 0 7 78 15 District 3 (NE) : 4 9 72 15 District 4 (WC) : 3 7 88 2 District 5 (C) : 5 7 57 31 District 6 (EC) : 0 0 94 6 District 7 (SW) : 0 6 72 22 District 8 (SC) : 0 0 77 23 District 9 (SE) : 0 9 75 16 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga/ctyests/districts.pdf. Pasture Condition for Week Ending 03/23/08, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 9 21 55 15 0 District 2 (NC) : 0 7 46 46 1 District 3 (NE) : 9 24 49 18 0 District 4 (WC) : 11 31 33 25 0 District 5 (C) : 17 19 27 37 0 District 6 (EC) : 1 8 63 27 1 District 7 (SW) : 5 7 50 34 4 District 8 (SC) : 4 12 40 44 0 District 9 (SE) : 10 11 33 41 5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga/ctyests/districts.pdf. Weather Summary for Week Ending 03/23/08, by Station Location ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Temperature : Precipitation : Location :-----------------:---------------------------------------:Soil : Max : Min : Avg :Weekly : Days :30 Day :60 Day : Season :Temp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Albany : 80 39 62 0.70 1 2.80 9.59 12.42 65 Alma : 83 44 62 0.46 1 2.85 8.35 11.16 62 Alpharetta : 74 32 54 1.01 1 4.76 11.19 13.13 54 Arlington : 79 38 60 0.54 1 1.86 8.51 10.98 62 Attapulgus : 78 40 61 0.50 1 4.86 14.95 17.88 65 Blairsville : 68 19 40 1.05 4 4.52 9.19 9.19 46 Williamson : 72 22 48 0.78 1 3.25 8.02 8.02 50 Bowen : 80 40 61 0.22 1 2.36 8.05 10.18 64 Brunswick : 85 47 63 0.40 2 3.32 7.10 9.51 65 Byromville : 77 39 60 0.54 1 3.30 8.13 11.41 61 Byron : 82 39 61 1.02 2 4.87 8.64 12.60 61 Cairo : 77 40 62 0.44 1 4.52 14.50 17.59 63 Calhoun : 72 29 52 0.55 1 4.56 7.88 9.72 54 Pine Mountain : 76 34 57 0.93 1 3.17 8.10 11.75 58 Camilla : 78 37 61 0.93 1 4.03 14.54 17.40 64 Clarks Hill : 77 32 57 1.87 5 5.39 9.76 12.46 59 Cordele : 78 38 60 0.67 1 3.49 8.72 11.41 61 Covington : 75 33 57 0.46 1 2.65 5.97 8.39 57 Dahlonega : 71 30 51 1.00 1 6.63 12.94 15.51 51 Dallas : 74 33 55 0.74 1 4.69 9.61 11.23 54 Dawson : 79 38 60 0.63 1 3.32 8.73 11.68 62 Dearing : 78 36 59 0.53 1 4.34 9.51 12.79 59 Dempsey : 75 34 56 0.40 1 2.10 5.25 7.49 58 Dixie : 80 41 63 0.01 1 3.68 13.13 15.94 65 Dublin : 79 37 60 0.48 1 3.61 8.62 12.38 62 Duluth : 74 32 54 0.75 1 3.93 8.87 10.87 55 Dunwoody : 73 34 54 0.98 1 4.82 10.09 11.86 54 Eatonton : 75 31 56 0.65 1 3.39 8.33 11.85 57 Elberton : 78 32 57 0.66 1 3.06 7.15 9.62 56 Ellijay : 69 28 49 0.50 1 3.64 6.99 8.64 51 Rome : 73 19 45 0.75 2 3.38 6.33 6.33 47 Fort Valley : 77 42 59 0.51 1 2.63 7.24 10.87 60 Gainesville : 73 34 53 0.97 1 6.27 12.05 14.27 55 Georgetown : 78 34 60 0.46 1 2.06 11.08 14.53 62 Homerville : 82 37 61 0.18 2 2.99 10.10 13.48 65 Jonesboro : 76 34 56 0.91 1 3.37 7.50 9.86 57 Jeffersonville : 77 40 59 0.69 2 4.26 9.55 13.46 60 Lafayette : 74 30 53 0.67 1 5.52 10.34 13.17 53 McRae : 81 35 59 0.95 2 4.15 11.28 14.13 62 Midville : 72 27 49 0.76 1 4.94 8.77 8.77 53 Newton : 80 37 61 0.69 2 3.26 10.82 13.44 64 Plains : 72 24 49 0.51 1 4.05 9.30 9.30 52 Sasser : 32 32 32 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 32 Savannah : 81 38 61 0.37 2 1.79 5.21 7.67 64 Skidaway : 77 43 60 0.23 2 2.11 5.75 9.57 61 Sneads : 78 48 64 0.57 1 2.95 14.88 17.79 65 Statesboro : 81 42 60 0.64 1 3.57 9.15 11.65 63 Tiger : 68 28 48 1.64 2 7.75 13.73 16.39 50 Valdosta : 80 48 64 0.01 1 2.49 11.11 13.82 63 Vidalia : 82 45 61 0.50 1 3.31 9.77 12.32 62 Roopville : 75 34 56 0.69 1 4.90 10.22 12.30 57 Watkinsville : 74 33 55 0.69 1 3.14 7.07 9.09 57 Woodbine : 85 40 62 0.45 2 4.39 8.03 10.58 67 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Weather data are supplied by the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network (AEMN) and the office of the State Climatologist, University of Georgia. For detailed Georgia weather data, visit the AEMN homepage at www.georgiaweather.net. DISTRICT COMMENTS March 23, 2008 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST We are still receiving about 1/2 inch rain each week. It is really greening up pastures and helping crops, but we need a lot more to help with the ground water deficit. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL No damage to farms in the county from storms this week. Some damage to trees due to storm. Pasture weed control applications. Routine care of livestock and poultry. Heavy rain early in the week. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST No comments available. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Corn planting under way. Dry forecast for the next week. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL Land preparation for corn planting beginning. Small grain conditions improving slightly and pond and stream levels continue to rise due to rains. Heavy hay feeding continues for livestock and hay supplies are getting very short. We have gotten plenty of rain. Wet fields. Small grains looking good! DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Corn planting just getting underway but will be accomplished quickly once it starts since it is all strip-till. Soil temperature still a little cool in the mornings, due to cold nights, but it warms up to 60 degrees in planting zone by afternoon. Wheat looking very good with no insect or disease found. I am seeing sulfur deficiencies in sandy land. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Corn damaged this week by wind blown sand. Received 0.54" of rainfall Greenbean planting Heavy rains Wednesday stopped corn planting. Wheat continues to look good. Growing rapidly. DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Harrowing and bedding fields for corn and tobacco planting. Greenhouse tobacco plants look good. Spreading poultry litter and taking late soil test. Wheat growers concerned about nitrogen leaching due to recent rains and questions on fungicides and timing. Got 0.03 to 0.75 inches rainfall from last storm. High winds but no significant damage. Lots of wind damage in the field from recent weather on bare ground vegetables especially. Spring planting is well underway of corn and certain commercial vegetable crops. DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST No comments available.