ga-crop-weather State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date March 22, 2009 Issue GA-CW1209 Agricultural Summary March 23, 2009 WARM TEMPERATURES 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 ranged from the mid-60's to mid-70's. Average lows ranged from the upper 30's to mid-50's. Early week rain benefited pastures and other crops, but more rain will be needed for adequate subsoil moisture levels. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 1% very short, 17% short, 73% adequate, and 9% surplus. Greenhouse tobacco plants were in good condition. Early wheat had reached the flag leaf stage. Powdery mildew appeared in some wheat fields. Planting was underway for corn and fresh market vegetables where the soil temperatures were high enough. However, farmers still have not finalized planting intentions. 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 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork. Crop Progress for Week Ending 03/22/09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage : This Week : Prev Week : Prev Year : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn Planted : 29 12 17 18 Corn Emerged : 10 0 4 3 Winter Wheat Jointing : 73 53 64 35 Winter Wheat Boot : 14 5 13 8 Peaches Blooming : 88 55 69 34 Watermelons Planted : 15 5 11 10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition for Week Ending 03/22/09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn : 0 2 38 59 1 Winter Wheat : 1 3 31 59 6 Range and Pasture : 6 14 45 33 2 Onions : 0 0 14 85 1 Peaches : 0 7 11 82 0 Vegetables : 0 4 36 58 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 03/22/09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This Week :Previous Week : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Very Short : 1 1 0 Short : 17 20 0 Adequate : 73 67 0 Surplus : 9 12 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 03/22/09, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Short : Short : Adequate : Surplus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 0 22 56 22 District 2 (NC) : 0 12 77 11 District 3 (NE) : 0 17 76 7 District 4 (WC) : 0 7 85 8 District 5 (C) : 0 8 74 18 District 6 (EC) : 4 20 66 10 District 7 (SW) : 6 17 73 4 District 8 (SC) : 0 18 82 0 District 9 (SE) : 1 42 57 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 03/22/09, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 7 13 41 39 0 District 2 (NC) : 0 5 40 53 2 District 3 (NE) : 1 19 60 20 0 District 4 (WC) : 1 12 53 34 0 District 5 (C) : 14 15 21 47 3 District 6 (EC) : 15 11 44 23 7 District 7 (SW) : 3 10 56 26 5 District 8 (SC) : 3 20 48 29 0 District 9 (SE) : 0 20 61 19 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 03/22/09, by Station Location ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Temperature : Precipitation : Location :-----------------:-------------------------------------:Soil : Max : Min : Avg :Weekly : Days :30 Day :60 Day:Season :Temp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alapaha : 72 50 61 0.16 1 1.84 3.96 4.73 63 Albany : 72 51 62 0.69 2 2.61 3.33 4.56 66 Alma : 73 49 61 0.13 1 1.51 2.59 3.90 63 Alpharetta : 68 40 54 0.60 1 5.83 7.37 11.97 54 Arabi : 71 50 60 0.66 1 2.20 2.82 4.36 63 Arlington : 72 47 59 0.69 2 4.40 5.62 7.52 64 Atlanta : 67 47 57 0.34 1 4.16 5.13 7.10 NA Attapulgus : 73 50 62 0.46 2 2.68 6.13 6.93 68 Baxley : 71 46 59 0.33 2 2.01 3.01 4.00 65 Blairsville : 64 35 49 0.30 1 2.89 4.69 8.59 53 Blue Ridge : 64 37 50 0.43 1 3.83 6.49 12.43 52 Brunswick : 67 51 59 0.16 3 1.88 3.94 5.33 65 Byromville : 70 49 59 0.82 1 2.47 3.24 4.63 62 Byron : 70 47 58 1.44 2 4.93 6.46 7.55 60 Cairo : 73 52 62 0.28 2 1.56 4.37 5.55 64 Calhoun : 67 37 52 0.34 2 4.66 6.71 12.27 54 Camilla : 71 49 60 0.32 2 1.73 4.70 6.80 65 Cordele : 71 48 60 0.74 2 2.51 3.00 3.55 61 Dahlonega : 64 40 52 0.22 1 4.69 6.84 12.24 53 Dallas : 66 42 54 0.39 2 4.64 6.75 9.97 55 Danielsville : 66 41 53 0.30 1 6.22 7.38 10.63 58 Dawson : 71 49 60 1.36 2 3.34 3.89 5.58 63 Dearing : 68 45 56 0.89 2 4.75 6.63 8.17 59 Dixie : 74 51 63 0.28 2 1.78 3.75 4.66 66 Douglas : 71 46 59 0.13 2 1.79 2.57 3.33 62 Dublin : 71 46 58 1.44 2 3.00 4.45 5.33 61 Dunwoody : 66 42 54 0.57 2 5.80 6.86 10.41 55 Eatonton : 68 41 54 0.72 1 6.84 8.86 11.00 57 Elberton : 67 42 55 0.35 1 6.23 6.79 8.98 57 Ellijay : 64 39 52 0.34 2 3.85 6.08 10.51 53 Gainesville : 66 42 54 0.26 1 5.23 7.28 12.98 56 Georgetown : 71 46 58 1.37 3 3.06 4.02 6.80 64 Griffin : 67 44 56 1.07 2 8.62 10.47 13.59 57 Hatley : 70 49 60 0.65 1 2.83 3.35 4.44 61 Homerville : 73 47 60 0.07 2 6.88 6.88 8.44 65 Jeffersonville : 67 45 56 0.79 2 2.46 4.76 5.78 61 Johns Creek : 67 38 53 0.56 1 6.09 7.37 10.69 54 Jonesboro : 68 43 55 0.54 2 6.48 8.16 10.86 56 Lake Seminole : 71 57 64 0.26 2 0.63 2.84 3.82 62 Midville : 69 47 58 1.08 2 2.37 3.38 4.10 62 Moultrie : 72 52 62 0.10 2 1.52 5.62 6.35 65 Nahunta : 73 46 59 0.10 2 1.83 4.15 5.62 64 Newton : 73 50 61 0.57 1 2.21 5.64 7.12 65 Odum : 73 46 59 0.15 1 1.80 2.84 4.03 65 Ossabaw : 70 53 61 0.37 2 1.30 3.23 4.48 64 Pine Mountain : 69 46 57 1.50 1 6.75 8.22 11.36 58 Plains : 69 47 58 0.90 1 4.47 5.84 7.70 61 Roopville : 69 41 55 0.69 1 6.32 7.84 10.57 57 Rome : 68 40 54 0.37 1 5.42 8.43 15.15 55 Sasser : 71 49 60 0.80 3 2.61 3.25 4.28 60 Savannah : 72 48 60 0.27 2 2.04 3.35 4.15 63 Shellman : 71 49 60 0.80 2 2.10 2.82 4.47 67 Skidaway : 66 51 59 0.72 2 1.84 3.34 4.48 60 Sparta : 67 42 55 1.03 1 5.88 7.41 4.79 59 Statesboro : 69 46 58 0.35 1 1.43 2.58 3.22 64 Tennille : 67 43 55 1.76 2 5.12 6.46 7.34 61 Tifton : 71 52 61 0.14 1 2.47 3.58 4.88 62 Tiger : 63 34 48 0.27 2 4.22 6.33 10.73 53 Unadilla : 70 47 58 1.27 2 3.92 4.96 5.97 61 Valdosta : 74 53 63 0.12 2 2.90 4.77 5.65 66 Vienna : 70 48 59 1.16 1 3.91 6.50 8.01 61 Vidalia : 71 50 60 0.30 2 2.28 3.85 4.97 63 Wat-UGA : 66 43 55 0.46 2 7.12 8.93 11.55 57 Williamson : 67 43 55 1.55 2 7.79 9.28 11.88 58 Woodbine : 72 49 61 0.01 1 1.30 4.05 5.16 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 22, 2009 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST Received 0.3 inches of precipitation last week. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Badly needed rain fell early in the week, routine care of livestock and poultry are the major activities. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST No comments available. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL No comments available. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL Welcome rain! Received 2-3 inches is most parts of the county. The rains have boded well for us. If we are able to receive weekly rainfall everything will be well. The only concern right now is the Easter cold snap. If the temperatures do bottom out we should be okay. Early planted wheat reaching flag leaf stage. Powdery mildew showing up in some wheat fields. Corn planting continues. DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Corn planting just started. Too wet after 2" slow rain last weekend. Ryegrass/spring grazing is as good as we've seen it in many years. Wheat has responded to top-dress nitrogen and looks very good. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Received 1 to 3 inches of rain in the county early this week. Corn stands okay. County received 2 - 4 inches rain overall improving topsoil moisture. Corn planting to continue beginning Friday. DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Wheat elongating. Applying some herbicides to wheat. Planting corn and getting land ready to plant. Farmers still undecided about what to plant peanuts or cotton or soybeans. We need some rain due to soils getting dry in some areas. Tobacco transplants in greenhouse looking good. Clipping plants and will begin setting out around April 7th in general. Poultry house work still going on but will soon cease. Still no positive news about the Old Pilgrims Pride Poultry Processing plant in Douglas. This week has been very busy transplanting vegetable on plastic. We didn't get much rain from the past weather, less than 1/3 inches of water. DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST No comments available.