mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released June 23, 2008 Week Ending Date June~22, 2008 Issue MI-CW2508 Agricultural Summary Cool Temperatures Return Five days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending June 22, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation varied from 0.03 inches in the west central Lower Peninsula to 0.56 inches in the northeastern Lower Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 5 degrees below normal in the northwestern, northeastern, west central, east central, southwestern, and south central Lower Peninsula to 2 degrees below normal in the eastern Upper Peninsula. Temperatures were cooler this week and precipitation varied across the State. Some farmers were finding it difficult to get fieldwork completed. A farmer in the southeast region stated, "Hay has been difficult to harvest. The first cutting has been delayed on many fields and hay is beginning to get over mature. Alfalfa fields that were cut early will be ready for a second cutting soon, if it quits raining." Farmers were able to get some fieldwork done following the rains received a week ago. "Weather-wise, conditions greatly improved over last week and farmers were able to get on to most of the ground and resume normal activities following last week's bad storms," a farmer in the west central region reported. Field Crops Report Field Crops Weather conditions this week were cooler than normal. Herbicide and nitrogen applications were delayed in some fields due to damp conditions. As a result, weeds were growing well. Corn continued to grow and the crop varies in development from 5 to 10 leaf stage. There were some reports of yellowing due to cool temperatures or denitrification. Soybeans stands were adequate and range from the 6 to 8 inch growth stage. There have been reports of bean leaf beetle. Winter wheat generally looks good. There is a concern about infection of fusarium head blight as we have had periods of moisture. This requires continued monitoring. Some alfalfa fields remain to be cut while early cut fields are regrowing well. Leafhoppers are present and need continued monitoring. Planting of dry beans was hindered in some areas due to wetness. In drier fields, planting was able to progress. Oats generally looked good, and disease and insect pressure remain low. Barley is generally in fair to good condition. Sugarbeets generally range in the eight to twelve leaf stage. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Apples ranged from 18 mm in diameter in the northwest to 1 inch in the southwest. Fruit drop has been heavy with some apple varieties yielding a very light crop. Blueberries advanced rapidly in the southwest and were at small green fruit in the southeast, as brown discoloration from frost injury was evident. Peaches grew to 1.5 inches in the southwest, where green peach aphid populations were on the rise. Peaches grew to 1.25 inches in the southeast, where plum curculio and tarnished plant bug damage have been found. Pear fruit grew to 24 mm and 16 mm in the southwest and northwest, respectively. In the southeast, pears grew to 1 inch in diameter with a fair amount of pear psylla present. Plums grew to 1 inch in the southwest and 15 mm in the northwest. In the southeast, heavy fruit drop continued and plum curculio activity increased, as fruit grew to 1 inch in diameter. Sweet cherries were showing red color as harvest of early varieties began in the southwest. In the southeast, sweet cherries were 22 mm. In the northwest, sweet cherries grew to 13 mm, as bacterial canker symptoms were prevalent. Tart cherries were 14 mm in the southeast and were coloring in the southwest. In the northwest, tart cherries were 13 mm. Strawberry harvest continued with excellent fruit size and quality in the southwest. Concord and Niagara grape bloom ended, as wine grapes continued to bloom in the southwest. Vegetables Recent heavy rains and variable temperatures have led to challenging conditions across the State as growers hoped for warmer weather to push faster growth and development. Planting schedules for processed zucchini were interrupted by rain. Except on heavy soils, zucchini and pumpkin fields planted before the heavy rain were emerging normally. Cucumber, yellow squash and zucchini were harvested from tunneled fields. Pepper and eggplant transplanting was completed, while late Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage continued to be transplanted. No major problems were reported for snap beans, cabbage, onions, peppers, and tomatoes. Processing tomato planting was near completion. Early planted tomatoes were blossoming and beginning to set fruit. Asparagus harvest was winding down across the State and was expected to finish about one week later than last year. The early carrot crop was starting to fill beds; some producers were reporting thinner than normal stands and behind normal growth. Celery planting continued on schedule as growers caught up following wet field conditions two weeks ago. Early planted sweet corn, which was under tunnels or plastic, progressed beyond the silk stage. Open field sweet corn was at tassel emergence. Sweet corn that had frost injury two weeks ago has recovered well from injury. Growth remained slow due to cooler temperatures. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 06/22/08 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 0 15 72 13 Subsoil : 2 12 76 10 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 06/22/08 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 3 5 26 50 16 Barley : 1 3 41 52 3 Corn : 1 4 20 50 25 Oats : 1 4 28 51 16 Pasture : 1 3 26 58 12 Soybeans : 3 6 23 48 20 Winter Wheat : 1 7 25 52 15 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 06/22/08 ------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last :5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ------------------------------------------------------------- : Inches : Corn, height : 14 9 24 16 : : Percent : All hay, first cutting : 57 49 81 72 Asparagus, harvested : 95 87 98 98 Dry beans, planted : 49 41 94 84 Dry beans, emerged : 17 8 71 41 Oats, headed : 46 33 55 49 Potatoes, emerged : 95 88 91 NA Soybeans, emerged : 98 95 97 93 Strawberries, harvested : 54 21 71 55 Winter wheat, turning yellow : 22 5 70 37 ------------------------------------------------------------- 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 06/22/08 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 : 79 37 473 789 0.11 1.15 2.21 8.48 Marquette : 77 44 428 723 0.25 1.94 2.46 9.47 Stephenson : 82 45 628 823 0.06 0.38 2.49 9.14 Western UP : 82 37 -3 498 757 561 0.11 1.34 2.40 8.51 8.21 3.61 : Cornell : 79 47 543 736 0.32 1.08 2.09 8.40 Sault St Marie : 77 44 443 697 0.23 1.50 2.21 8.02 Eastern UP : 79 42 -2 449 691 429 0.42 1.29 2.05 7.69 7.62 3.26 : Beulah : 78 47 699 860 0.12 3.28 6.69 13.27 Lake City : 80 44 696 795 0.33 6.19 10.43 15.00 Old Mission : 81 47 645 808 0.16 1.50 3.14 8.56 Pellston : 78 44 633 811 0.63 2.31 3.95 9.21 Northwest : 81 44 -5 641 797 660 0.32 3.08 5.45 11.01 7.38 3.03 : Alpena : 79 44 653 810 0.53 2.00 3.50 7.11 Houghton Lake : 77 46 716 843 0.40 3.08 8.64 11.95 Rogers City : 78 44 667 807 0.51 2.25 5.13 9.06 Northeast : 79 40 -5 687 826 628 0.56 2.34 5.47 9.25 7.34 2.90 : Fremont : 79 47 795 933 0.00 0.69 4.91 9.20 Hart : 81 46 739 878 0.03 1.07 4.24 9.90 Muskegon : 75 48 751 928 0.03 0.59 4.56 8.23 West Central : 81 45 -5 752 906 744 0.03 1.76 5.68 10.52 7.99 2.94 : Alma : 81 47 832 996 0.54 1.21 3.55 6.82 Big Rapids : 81 46 808 880 0.10 1.03 3.21 6.97 Central : 81 45 -4 817 937 795 0.20 0.98 3.20 6.49 8.18 3.36 : Bad Axe : 81 50 792 869 0.54 1.71 4.24 7.33 Pigeon : 79 46 772 859 0.55 1.13 2.90 5.45 Saginaw : 80 48 878 992 0.27 1.18 3.47 6.06 Standish : 81 46 755 876 0.57 1.35 3.98 7.21 East Central : 81 45 -5 778 902 773 0.55 1.51 3.64 6.68 7.41 3.08 : Fennville : 76 48 786 936 0.28 0.65 7.96 12.65 Grand Rapids : 81 51 925 1,055 0.00 0.14 4.72 9.84 Holland : 77 52 896 1,049 0.14 0.47 7.07 11.28 South Bend, IN : 83 49 983 1,152 0.07 0.52 2.62 7.49 Watervliet : 80 50 882 1,035 0.18 0.73 4.13 9.22 Southwest : 83 45 -5 965 1,028 853 0.18 0.70 5.06 10.17 8.87 3.55 : Belding : 79 45 831 939 0.00 0.42 2.74 7.01 Coldwater : 81 47 910 971 0.54 1.96 3.11 6.61 Lansing : 80 46 916 995 0.06 0.50 3.48 6.89 South Central : 83 45 -5 883 996 855 0.18 0.86 3.77 7.32 8.58 3.57 : Detroit : 82 51 1,005 1,080 0.38 1.83 3.40 5.82 Flint : 80 47 960 982 0.19 1.38 3.48 6.45 Romeo : 82 49 863 924 0.16 1.15 3.05 5.91 Tipton : 81 47 918 996 0.38 2.37 3.42 6.31 Toledo, OH : 83 46 985 1,084 0.31 2.43 3.14 7.09 Southeast : 85 45 -4 918 1,005 821 0.34 2.26 4.06 7.24 8.48 3.36 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.