ga-crop-weather State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date September 19, 2010 Issue GA-CW3810 Agricultural Summary September 20, 2010 DRY CONDITIONS PERSIST For the week ending September 19, 2010, little or no measurable precipitation fell in Georgia, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, Georgia Field Office. Daily average high temperatures were in the upper 80's to lower 90's. Low temperatures were in the lower to mid 60's. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 44% very short, 40% short, 15% adequate, and 1% surplus. Virtually all of the corn has been harvested for grain. A quarter of the soybean crop is beginning to drop leaves. Over twenty percent of the sorghum has been harvested. Over three-quarters of the cotton bolls are open, and the first fields of cotton have been harvested. Most of the tobacco crop has been harvested. The first fields of peanuts have been dug and harvested. Rye and Oats are beginning to be planted. White mold and armyworms continued to be present in some fields. Other activities for the week included routine care of livestock and cutting hay. County Extension Agents reported an average of 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork. Crop Progress for Week Ending 09/19/10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage : This Week : Prev Week : Prev Year : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn Harvested for Grain : 95 90 85 84 Soybeans Dropping Leaves : 24 15 17 20 Sorghum Harvested : 22 21 13 30 Cotton Bolls Opening : 85 73 42 59 Cotton Harvested : 7 3 0 2 Peanuts Dug : 12 6 4 8 Peanuts Combined : 6 1 1 3 Rye Planted : 2 1 4 5 Other Small Grains Planted : 2 1 3 3 Tobacco Harvested : 95 92 95 95 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition for Week Ending 09/19/10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Soybeans : 12 20 43 23 2 Sorghum : 5 18 42 31 4 Cotton : 13 22 33 27 5 Range and Pasture : 21 26 37 14 2 Hay : 17 18 43 19 3 Peanuts : 4 13 37 35 11 Pecans : 2 7 41 41 9 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 09/19/10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This Week :Previous Week : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Very Short : 44 28 14 Short : 40 50 33 Adequate : 15 21 46 Surplus : 1 1 7 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 09/19/10, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Short : Short : Adequate : Surplus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 26 64 10 0 District 2 (NC) : 28 42 30 0 District 3 (NE) : 28 47 25 0 District 4 (WC) : 51 41 8 0 District 5 (C) : 53 37 41 0 District 6 (EC) : 47 39 14 0 District 7 (SW) : 55 41 4 0 District 8 (SC) : 49 33 15 3 District 9 (SE) : 16 32 42 10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Georgia/Publications/County_Esti mates/index.asp. Pasture Condition for Week Ending 09/19/10, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 13 24 37 14 12 District 2 (NC) : 26 2 32 38 2 District 3 (NE) : 34 26 38 2 0 District 4 (WC) : 24 27 31 15 3 District 5 (C) : 26 20 42 8 4 District 6 (EC) : 19 19 51 11 0 District 7 (SW) : 21 37 30 12 0 District 8 (SC) : 14 45 30 10 1 District 9 (SE) : 0 6 66 24 4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Georgia/Publications/County_Esti mates/index.asp. Weather Summary for Week Ending 09/19/10, by Station Location ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Temperature : Precipitation : Location :-----------------:-------------------------------------:Soil : Max : Min : Avg :Weekly : Days :30 Day :60 Day:Season :Temp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alapaha : 91 63 77 0.00 0 0.93 6.62 33.86 80 Albany : 93 68 80 0.00 0 3.54 8.47 37.59 88 Alma : 91 65 78 0.00 0 1.83 3.53 32.56 80 Alpharetta : 89 61 75 0.00 0 1.72 10.72 42.26 77 Arabi : 91 64 78 0.00 0 4.09 8.22 35.26 81 Arlington : 96 64 80 0.00 0 2.24 3.70 34.35 86 Atlanta : 90 68 79 0.00 0 0.58 5.38 31.12 NA Attapulgus : 92 66 79 0.00 0 0.82 4.32 38.46 91 Baxley : 92 63 77 0.00 0 1.87 7.80 39.26 83 Brunswick : 88 70 79 0.17 1 5.54 13.63 33.24 83 Byromville : 91 64 78 0.00 0 6.24 8.37 44.37 82 Byron : 91 63 77 0.00 0 1.94 5.20 36.92 80 Cairo : 92 68 80 0.00 0 1.25 5.34 34.23 82 Camilla : 94 65 79 0.00 0 2.74 6.23 34.46 89 Cordele : 92 65 78 0.00 0 3.42 8.31 37.60 80 Covington : 91 62 76 0.00 0 2.79 5.78 33.22 77 Dahlonega : 86 58 72 0.00 0 4.82 10.63 40.97 74 Dallas : 89 62 75 0.00 0 0.64 3.01 29.97 81 Danielsville : 91 61 76 0.00 0 0.79 4.32 32.27 84 Dawson : 93 64 79 0.00 0 1.05 8.32 39.18 82 Dearing : 91 65 78 0.01 1 0.88 6.18 36.29 83 Dixie : 92 65 79 0.00 0 1.81 8.32 40.71 84 Dublin : 92 64 78 0.40 1 2.18 8.33 33.93 82 Dunwoody : 89 61 75 0.00 0 0.73 6.81 34.58 76 Eatonton : 90 60 75 0.01 1 1.54 7.18 40.93 80 Elberton : 92 62 77 0.00 0 0.15 13.43 26.42 83 Ellijay : 88 57 72 0.19 2 2.30 4.26 33.52 77 Georgetown : 95 65 80 0.00 0 1.16 5.84 37.26 85 Griffin : 89 65 77 0.00 0 1.38 5.36 32.92 78 Hatley : 91 65 78 0.00 0 4.39 8.42 37.25 82 Homerville : 92 62 77 0.00 0 1.71 5.08 31.84 85 Jeffersonville : 91 63 77 0.00 0 0.68 6.44 39.45 83 Johns Creek : 90 61 75 0.00 0 1.78 4.93 34.58 77 Jonesboro : 91 62 77 0.01 1 1.20 5.52 28.80 81 Lake Seminole : 92 74 83 0.00 0 0.17 5.86 37.79 85 Midville : 92 63 78 0.02 1 0.90 6.36 30.78 82 Moultrie : 92 65 79 0.00 0 3.05 6.60 34.01 89 Nahunta : 90 62 76 0.00 0 0.82 9.11 29.93 84 Newton : 95 66 80 0.00 0 1.82 5.28 34.76 87 Odum : 91 62 76 0.00 0 1.40 3.50 30.53 84 Ossabaw : 88 69 78 0.06 1 1.46 6.69 33.50 79 Pine Mountain : 92 65 78 0.00 0 1.73 5.63 31.25 79 Plains : 92 65 78 0.00 0 1.26 3.32 33.95 84 Roopville : 94 61 77 0.00 0 1.08 2.49 31.73 82 Rome : 93 61 77 0.00 0 1.74 6.82 34.54 79 Sasser : 92 64 78 0.00 0 2.68 6.53 34.10 80 Savannah : 89 66 77 0.16 1 7.51 9.03 36.21 81 Shellman : 95 66 80 0.00 0 1.71 6.92 32.60 93 Skidaway : 86 68 77 0.18 4 3.75 8.94 36.27 79 Sparta : 90 61 76 0.00 0 2.86 8.24 36.63 79 Statesboro : 90 65 77 0.00 0 2.06 7.73 36.73 85 Tennille : 92 62 77 0.00 0 2.30 7.16 33.36 82 Tifton : 90 67 79 0.00 0 2.03 3.95 33.29 81 Tiger : 83 53 68 0.00 0 5.27 9.60 48.17 78 Unadilla : 93 64 78 0.35 1 2.25 3.58 34.72 84 Valdosta : 91 68 80 0.00 0 2.16 4.72 34.64 81 Vienna : 92 65 78 0.00 0 3.16 6.55 36.27 80 Vidalia : 91 66 79 0.00 0 5.58 12.43 41.26 84 Wat-UGA : 89 63 76 0.00 0 1.89 10.51 40.25 82 Williamson : 89 59 74 0.16 2 3.81 8.33 45.23 79 Woodbine : 89 66 77 0.27 1 3.84 11.91 33.59 82 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *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 September 19, 2010 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST No comments available. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL The apple harvest in North Georgia is looking good. Cooler nights in the low to mid 60's has allowed the crop to put on good color over the last few weeks. Commercial grape harvest nearing end - general crop conditions declining due to lack of moisture DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST No comments available. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Rainfall shortage has made pasture conditions critical. Extremely dry and hot. Dryland crops continue to deteriorate. Very, very dry. Remains hot and dry; soybeans are loaded with pods, moisture needed this week to fill. Very, very dry. Armyworms are running rampant here. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL We have been relatively dry with the exception of Sept. 12 and 13 where we received .52 and 1.03 of an inch of rainfall. We are dry. Hopefully fall's impending arrival will bring more rainfall. Blistering heat and drought conditions dominate the past few weeks. Fall armyworms continue attacking pastures and hayfields. Several farmers are having to feed hay much earlier than normal due to these conditions. Landscape plants are reaching permanent wilting point in Rockdale. Farmers Market produce has fizzled out. Extreme drought conditions still persist. Dryland crops, pasture and hay fields are all stressed and losing yield every day. DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL My report is rather dismal as our dry land crops have taken a real turn for the worse in the continued heat and dry weather. As we defoliate cotton, check and dig a few peanuts and look at soybeans at partial pod fill, we see no weather relief in sight and have reached the point of harvesting what we can. One large grower commented that he'd be "plum tickled to average one ton dryland peanuts per acre. We're defoliating dry land fields that have numerous problems, hard lock, early cut-out, small bolls, etc. with a hope of 400 lbs/acre. Only our irrigated crops will keep this harvest from being extremely low yielding. Some early, irrigated peanuts are grading well but we have an equal number of dry land fields that are too hard to dig. We're getting about 15 acres from a set of plow blades. This will be remembered as "the summer that didn't go away". Will it ever rain again? Dryland soybeans continue to decline - some may now be lost. DRY. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST No rain for 3 weeks. The peanuts and cotton harvested so far is our dryland. Soon our yield estimates should increase as we get into our irrigated peanuts and cotton. We've had a terrible time getting the leaves to drop with traditional defoliation mixtures in dryland cotton. Hopefully, that problem will cease as irrigated fields receive defoliation applications. Peanut crops and late season cotton is stressing due to lack of rain (3 weeks without rainfall). DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Dry. Dry weather is excellent for defoliation and cotton harvest and peanut digging but dry weather is affecting cotton finishing out top bolls and going to force us to dig dryland peanuts early due to no moisture. Irrigating peanuts now to move and increase yield and value. Cutting hay. Seeing activity in and around poultry houses with Pilgrams Pride coming back to Douglas. Great news - corn Yields have been excellent for dryland 130 Bu and 180 plus for irrigated. Taking out tobacco from barns and taking to market. We could use about an inch or less of rain badly. Yields are declining as we speak. This past week has been very dry, we need a good rain 3-5 inches to wet the soil. We still have temperatures 95 plus degrees in South Ga. Boll rot and drought have ruined a significant percentage of the early- planted cotton produced in the county DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST No comments available.