mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released May 12, 2008 Week Ending Date May~11, 2008 Issue MI-CW1908 Agricultural Summary Seasonable Temperatures Five days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 11, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation varied from 0.16 inches in the northeastern Lower Peninsula to 1.02 inches in the southwestern Lower Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 3 degrees below normal in the western Upper Peninsula to normal in the northwestern, northeastern, west central, central, southwestern, and southeastern Lower Peninsula. Temperatures this week allowed planting to progress at a brisk pace, but emergence was slow due to cool temperatures and soils. A farmer stated, "cool weather has seemed to have a delaying effect on the emergence of the crops planted thus far." While a number of fields are damp, some farmers welcomed the rains over the weekend. "Conditions are still very dry for this area. Some light rain and cooler temperatures over the weekend will put some moisture back in the ground," a farmer in the Thumb region reported. Field Crops Report Field Crops The weather was excellent for planting this past week, but cooler temperatures slowed emergence of many crops. Corn planting was nearly complete in many areas of the State, while cold, wet soils delayed progress in other vicinities. Early planted fields were beginning to emerge. Planting of soybeans was proceeding, with progress expected to hasten as farmers wrapped up corn planting. Sugarbeets were beginning to emerge. Winter wheat has been topdressed, and weed control was being applied. Alfalfa was growing steadily with stands eight to twelve inches. Barley planting was behind average for this time of year. Oat planting was nearly complete, with some emergence. Rye varied in development. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Fruit growers continued to assess frost damage from the April 30 freeze, as damage varied according to crop development. Apples were at king bloom in the southwest and southeast and at pink in the northwest and west central. Apricots were in full bloom in the northwest while early shuck splits began in the southwest. Pears were in green cluster in the northwest. Peaches were in full bloom to petal fall. Sweet cherry development varied from full bloom to shuck across the State. Tart cherries were in full bloom in the west central and early white bud in the northwest. Plums were in bloom to petal fall. Strawberries were in bloom in the southwest. Blueberries were at late pink bud. Grapes were at bud burst. Vegetables Cool weather slowed the emergence of the crops planted thus far. Asparagus harvest recovered somewhat from the damaging frost early last week in the southwest and volumes are expected to be back to normal by the end of the week. Cabbage has made very good growth with adequate moisture and lack of hot weather. Celery planting continued on schedule despite the colder temperatures. Early planted cucumbers sustained damage in some fields and have been replanted. Progress with leek, lettuce, beet and radish planting was good. Likewise, tomato transplanting was moving along quickly. Sweet corn was 20 to 30 percent planted in the south central. Planting of other crops such as potatoes and turnips continued while the planting of onions has been completed. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 05/11/08 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 0 15 78 7 Subsoil : 0 10 81 9 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 05/11/08 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Oats : 5 1 24 52 18 Pasture : 3 13 23 43 18 Winter Wheat : 1 4 23 58 14 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 05/11/08 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Asparagus, harvested : 13 NA 21 20 Barley, planted : 32 16 63 68 Barley, emerged : 8 3 27 37 Corn, planted : 70 41 52 58 Corn, emerged : 12 1 10 12 Oats, planted : 82 74 85 87 Oats, emerged : 48 35 48 61 Potatoes, planted : 47 31 36 NA Potatoes, emerged : 25 10 3 NA Soybeans, planted : 32 8 16 26 Soybeans, emerged : 2 0 1 3 Sugarbeets, planted : 99 95 94 98 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Contact Information U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Michigan Field Office P.O. Box 26248 Lansing, MI 48909-6248 517-324-5300; or 800-453-7501 Fax 517-324-5299 email: nass-mi@nass.usda.gov Web Page: http:/www.nass.usda.gov/mi Weather Information Table Michigan Weather Summary for Week Ending 05/11/08 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : :Cumulative growing: : Temperature : degree days 2/ : Precipitation :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : : : : : Normal Station : : :Departure: : : :This:Last :Last : Since :------------- :Maximum :Minimum : from :2008 :2007 :Normal:week: two :four :April 1: Since : For : : : normal : : : : :weeks:weeks: :April 1:month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ironwood : 68 30 102 212 0.25 1.51 2.73 5.67 Marquette : 65 28 91 175 0.49 1.51 2.41 6.68 Stephenson : 66 26 147 232 0.36 1.83 2.97 6.16 Western UP : 70 24 -3 111 198 135 0.28 1.44 2.55 5.50 3.43 3.37 : Cornell : 59 29 106 197 0.42 1.13 1.58 4.34 Sault St Marie : 62 30 118 181 0.44 0.98 2.25 4.60 Eastern UP : 65 25 -2 100 179 77 0.44 1.13 1.89 4.35 3.58 3.01 : Beulah : 74 35 240 224 0.33 1.75 3.88 5.60 Lake City : 70 33 224 204 0.13 0.84 2.30 4.11 Old Mission : 70 36 203 198 0.06 1.35 2.41 4.73 Pellston : 66 27 199 220 0.30 1.12 2.22 3.79 Northwest : 74 27 0 210 202 166 0.17 1.26 2.80 4.63 3.69 2.61 : Alpena : 65 29 207 193 0.23 1.05 1.32 3.09 Houghton Lake : 68 32 234 219 0.05 0.79 1.44 3.06 Rogers City : 66 32 218 168 0.17 0.98 1.55 3.33 Northeast : 72 29 0 224 207 153 0.16 0.97 1.52 3.30 3.66 2.76 : Fremont : 75 35 260 259 0.17 0.68 1.84 4.08 Hart : 75 33 250 234 0.03 0.61 3.00 5.41 Muskegon : 74 39 244 244 0.37 0.98 1.78 3.53 West Central : 78 31 0 256 243 199 0.27 0.80 2.25 4.53 4.06 2.67 : Alma : 77 35 266 268 0.18 0.44 0.71 2.95 Big Rapids : 77 32 266 233 0.22 1.07 2.83 3.42 Central : 77 32 0 261 250 221 0.25 0.81 1.60 3.03 4.16 2.79 : Bad Axe : 73 37 271 204 0.46 1.19 1.26 2.72 Pigeon : 73 37 261 197 0.26 0.80 0.90 2.06 Saginaw : 74 36 281 248 0.48 0.75 0.88 2.30 Standish : 72 30 242 227 0.47 0.89 1.34 2.87 East Central : 76 30 -1 253 221 209 0.49 0.97 1.12 2.69 3.55 2.63 : Fennville : 78 37 271 260 1.12 1.70 2.00 4.25 Grand Rapids : 78 38 308 285 0.67 1.16 1.60 4.65 Holland : 80 39 403 303 0.93 3.31 4.12 5.04 South Bend, IN : 80 38 332 346 1.35 1.96 2.40 4.10 Watervliet : 78 38 295 294 1.10 1.89 2.39 4.66 Southwest : 81 31 0 313 294 246 1.02 1.89 2.45 4.76 4.41 3.01 : Belding : 76 33 271 259 0.41 1.00 1.36 3.93 Coldwater : 78 37 288 278 0.84 1.12 1.35 3.16 Lansing : 78 36 307 268 0.79 0.99 1.12 3.12 South Central : 82 33 -1 292 278 247 0.70 1.00 1.23 3.15 4.21 2.92 : Detroit : 75 44 333 301 0.85 1.26 1.33 2.08 Flint : 76 35 336 263 0.58 1.15 1.17 2.69 Romeo : 71 38 267 253 1.35 1.95 2.08 3.14 Tipton : 78 39 297 292 0.89 1.36 1.49 2.36 Toledo, OH : 75 41 324 315 1.73 2.35 2.40 3.98 Southeast : 79 35 0 305 283 231 0.96 1.51 1.62 2.85 4.22 2.85 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Issued by the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Michigan State University's Cooperative Extension Service, Agricultural Meteorologist, Department of Geography, and Crop Advisory Team ALERTS. 2/ Growing degree days (GDD) is the sum of daily mean temperatures minus 50 per day, 86 maximum and 50 minimum. The GDD is accumulative from April 1.