ga-crop-weather State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date March 15, 2009 Issue GA-CW1109 Agricultural Summary March 16, 2009 SCATTERED WEEKEND SHOWERS Georgia experienced warm temperatures early in the week. Cooler temperatures and scattered rain arrived late in the week, according to the USDA, NASS, Georgia Field Office. Daily average high temperatures were in the 70's for most of the week, weekend highs ranged from the upper 50's to 60's. Average lows were in the upper 40's and low 50's. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 1% very short, 20% short, 67% adequate, and 12% surplus. As a result of the weekend rain, some areas reported standing water in low areas and creeks running bank full. However, drought continued to be an issue in other parts of the state. Cool season grasses began to grow. Winter Grain Mites and grubs caused problems in already stressed pastures and forages. Farmers prepared to plant corn by applying herbicides. Vegetable growers were busy transplanting spring vegetables for the 2009 crop. Other activities included preparing land for tobacco crops, clipping tobacco plants in greenhouses for transplant, pasture weed control, and the routine care of poultry and livestock. County Extension Agents reported an average of 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Crop Progress for Week Ending 03/15/09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage : This Week : Prev Week : Prev Year : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn Planted : 12 3 6 8 Winter Wheat Jointing : 53 38 47 24 Winter Wheat Boot : 5 2 4 2 Peaches Blooming : 55 21 36 16 Watermelons Planted : 5 0 3 3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition for Week Ending 03/15/09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Winter Wheat : 1 5 34 54 6 Range and Pasture : 8 17 49 25 1 Onions : 1 1 20 76 2 Peaches : 0 5 14 81 0 Vegetables : 0 7 42 50 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 03/15/09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This Week :Previous Week : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Very Short : 1 1 0 Short : 20 13 0 Adequate : 67 77 0 Surplus : 12 9 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 03/15/09, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Short : Short : Adequate : Surplus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 0 6 82 12 District 2 (NC) : 0 5 75 20 District 3 (NE) : 0 22 61 17 District 4 (WC) : 0 5 61 17 District 5 (C) : 0 18 78 4 District 6 (EC) : 0 30 52 18 District 7 (SW) : 11 32 51 6 District 8 (SC) : 0 21 75 4 District 9 (SE) : 0 30 70 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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 03/15/09, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 7 17 39 37 0 District 2 (NC) : 2 8 64 25 1 District 3 (NE) : 0 26 52 22 0 District 4 (WC) : 1 13 63 23 0 District 5 (C) : 17 12 31 37 3 District 6 (EC) : 18 8 57 17 0 District 7 (SW) : 9 24 45 17 5 District 8 (SC) : 5 22 51 22 0 District 9 (SE) : 1 24 50 25 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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 03/15/09, by Station Location ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Temperature : Precipitation : Location :-----------------:-------------------------------------:Soil : Max : Min : Avg :Weekly : Days :30 Day :60 Day:Season :Temp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alapaha : 77 52 64 0.19 2 3.43 4.23 4.57 63 Albany : 77 55 66 0.89 2 2.61 3.33 3.87 66 Alma : 78 54 66 0.06 1 2.04 3.12 3.77 63 Alpharetta : 66 46 56 1.87 3 6.34 6.88 11.37 54 Arabi : 75 52 64 0.51 2 2.20 2.82 3.70 62 Arlington : 78 52 65 0.73 2 4.40 5.62 6.83 63 Atlanta : 65 49 57 1.22 4 4.44 4.85 6.76 NA Attapulgus : 80 54 67 0.01 1 5.02 6.00 6.47 68 Baxley : 75 51 63 0.04 3 2.34 3.27 3.67 65 Blairsville : 63 44 53 1.52 3 1.52 3.42 8.29 52 Blue Ridge : 62 46 54 2.25 3 4.56 6.17 12.00 52 Brunswick : 73 54 63 0.00 0 2.66 4.15 5.17 65 Byromville : 74 52 63 0.36 2 1.83 2.98 3.81 61 Byron : 73 51 62 1.20 2 5.25 4.60 6.11 61 Cairo : 80 56 68 0.01 1 3.54 4.92 5.27 63 Calhoun : 63 45 54 2.56 3 4.99 6.42 11.93 54 Camilla : 79 53 66 0.24 1 3.37 4.81 6.48 66 Cordele : 75 52 64 0.38 2 2.07 2.46 2.81 60 Covington : 66 48 57 2.36 2 8.18 8.93 10.82 57 Dahlonega : 64 46 55 2.12 3 5.63 6.76 12.02 53 Dallas : 65 47 56 1.49 3 5.47 6.41 9.58 54 Danielsville : 65 47 56 1.45 2 6.81 7.15 10.33 58 Dawson : 76 53 64 1.02 2 2.08 2.72 4.22 62 Dearing : 70 52 61 0.64 2 5.31 6.05 7.28 60 Dixie : 81 54 67 0.00 0 2.78 3.92 4.38 65 Douglas : 75 50 63 0.03 2 2.20 2.89 3.20 62 Dublin : 73 51 62 0.59 2 2.42 3.33 3.89 61 Dunwoody : 65 46 56 1.70 3 5.92 6.35 9.84 54 Eatonton : 67 48 58 1.38 2 7.47 8.32 10.28 58 Elberton : 66 47 56 1.19 2 6.23 6.79 8.63 57 Ellijay : 63 45 54 2.03 3 4.55 5.91 10.17 53 Gainesville : 64 47 56 1.86 2 6.33 7.13 12.72 56 Georgetown : 76 51 63 1.13 2 1.83 2.88 5.43 66 Griffin : 67 50 58 2.59 2 8.69 9.61 12.52 58 Hatley : 74 53 64 0.28 2 2.39 3.04 3.79 61 Homerville : 81 52 66 0.02 1 6.33 7.70 8.37 67 Jeffersonville : 72 50 61 0.54 2 3.63 4.34 4.99 61 Johns Creek : 65 45 55 1.62 2 6.42 6.86 10.13 54 Jonesboro : 67 49 58 1.59 2 6.88 7.75 10.32 57 Lake Seminole : 78 57 67 0.02 1 1.99 2.79 3.56 61 Midville : 72 52 62 0.14 2 1.96 2.60 3.02 63 Moultrie : 78 56 67 0.13 1 4.80 5.86 6.25 66 Nahunta : 80 52 66 0.00 0 3.18 4.56 5.52 65 Newton : 81 54 67 0.34 2 3.85 5.55 6.55 66 Odum : 78 51 65 0.00 0 2.22 3.20 3.88 66 Ossabaw : 73 54 63 0.00 0 2.13 3.43 4.11 62 Pine Mountain : 72 50 61 1.88 2 5.97 6.95 9.86 58 Plains : 72 51 62 1.02 2 4.34 5.30 6.80 61 Roopville : 69 48 59 1.99 2 6.45 7.32 9.88 58 Rome : 64 47 56 2.39 3 6.61 8.15 14.78 55 Sasser : 76 52 64 0.68 2 2.07 2.55 3.48 59 Savannah : 76 53 65 0.00 0 2.56 3.46 3.88 62 Shellman : 76 53 64 0.63 2 1.51 2.19 3.67 70 Skidaway : 70 52 61 0.00 0 1.91 3.12 3.76 61 Sparta : 68 49 59 0.84 2 5.91 6.68 3.76 59 Statesboro : 73 51 62 0.12 1 1.97 2.51 2.87 65 Tennille : 71 50 60 0.70 3 4.11 4.99 5.58 60 Tifton : 74 55 64 0.87 2 3.07 4.14 4.74 61 Tiger : 62 42 52 2.01 3 4.95 6.16 10.46 53 Unadilla : 73 52 62 0.52 2 3.14 4.05 4.70 61 Valdosta : 82 57 69 0.07 1 4.17 4.84 5.53 65 Vienna : 73 53 63 0.72 2 1.91 2.86 6.85 60 Vidalia : 75 53 64 0.19 1 3.26 4.25 4.67 62 Wat-UGA : 65 49 57 2.08 2 8.10 8.60 11.09 56 Williamson : 68 49 59 2.41 2 6.98 7.88 10.33 59 Woodbine : 79 53 66 0.00 0 2.81 4.18 5.15 66 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *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 15, 2009 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST Received 2.5 inches of rain Friday night - Sunday morning. Got 2.4 inches of rain over the weekend, lots of standing water in low areas, creeks running bank full. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Routine care of livestock and poultry. Rain at the end of the week improved soil moisture situation. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST Winter grain mite & grubs causing significant problems in already stressed pastures and forages. Drought continues to be an issue as cool season grasses begin to grow this spring. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Much needed rain came over the weekend. Corn planting started last week. Routine care of livestock, liming activities, fertilizing cool season forages. Good rain received, 3+ inches on most of the county. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL Topdressing of small grains continues. Heavy hay feeding continues for livestock. We have rebounded from the cold weather with very warm weather. We have had no rainfall. Welcome rains! Corn planting began last week. Small grains looking good. Weekend rains will slow field work. Warm temperatures. DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Winter pasture has suffered from extreme cold and number of freezes while summer pasture isn't greening up yet. Wheat looks real good. Been spraying burndown herbicides this weed, should start planting corn next week. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST No comments available. DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Need some rain. Farmers gearing up to plant corn by applying herbicides and a few growers have begun planting. Setting out squash transplants on plasticulture. Some farmers putting up center pivots for irrigation. Preparing land for planting. Tobacco transplants in greenhouse look good so far. Due to high fertilizer costs we have had an increase in soil samples being sent to lab. Still concern about loss of Pilgrims Pride Poultry Plant in Douglas. Applying lime and fertilizer. This vegetable growers are busy transplanting spring vegetables for the 2009 crop! The weather has being great for transplanting. We had very little wind, low rainfall, temperatures in high 70's-low 80's just ideal for field work. Watermelon and corn planting gets underway. Field moisture conditions are holding steady however, rainfall will be needed soon. DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST No comments available.