mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released April 27, 2009 Week Ending Date April 26, 2009 Issue MI-CW1709 Agricultural Summary Wet Weather Three days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 26, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation varied from 0.89 inches in the southeast Lower Peninsula to 2.83 inches in the central Lower Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 3 degrees below normal in the western Upper Peninsula to 4 degrees above normal in the southeast Lower Peninsula. Heavy precipitation halted field activities. Although the additional rainfall is expected to benefit crops that have already been planted, farmers may not be able to return to the fields for several days. Field Crops Report Field Crops Rainy weather has hindered planting in the majority of the state, but was much needed. Corn and soybeans have not been planted in most areas of the state, but will begin as weather permits. Wheat was progressing despite some damage from the winter and animals. Some alfalfa fields had significant amounts of standing water. However, the crop was making progress. Oat planting was underway. Sugarbeet planting was nearing completion in many areas. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Overnight temperatures have been low, but not enough to cause damage to swollen fruit buds. Temperatures below 25 degrees Fahrenheit are temperatures that cause freeze injury to buds of most fruit crops. Apples ranged from silver tip to half-inch green in the west central. Apples in the northwest were at green tip and at bud swell in the southeast. Peaches were at early bud swell to green calyx. European plums were at green tip, and oriental plums were at tight cluster in the southwest. In the northwest, plums were at early bud swell. Apricots were at first bloom. Sweet and tart cherries were at side green to green tip. Raspberries were at early bud swell. Blueberries were at bud swell. Grapes were at scale crack in the southeast. Fertilizer applications, pruning, and brush clean-up continued as the weather permitted. Vegetables Growers across the State continued to prepare equipment for the planting season and work the soil as the weather allowed. Precipitation during the week and wind over the weekend hindered field activities and delayed application of pesticides. In the west central area, asparagus crown planting was in full swing as was carrot planting. Early planted cabbage and potatoes were just beginning to show new growth and early sweet corn began to germinate in the southeast. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 04/26/09 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 0 2 46 52 Subsoil : 1 3 60 36 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 04/26/09 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Pasture : 3 8 40 39 10 Winter Wheat : 2 3 22 58 15 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 04/26/09 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Barley, planted : 16 13 9 31 Corn, planted : 3 2 10 16 Oats, planted : 49 30 46 59 Oats, emerged : 10 5 4 16 Potatoes, planted : 11 2 20 19 Sugarbeets, planted : 81 70 78 82 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 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 04/26/09 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : :Cumulative growing: : Temperature : degree days 2/ : Precipitation :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : : : : : Normal Station : : :Departure: : : :This:Last :Last : Since :------------- :Maximum :Minimum : from :2009 :2008 :Normal:week: two :four :April 1: Since : For : : : normal : : : : :weeks:weeks: :April 1:month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ironwood : 68 28 57 63 2.05 2.39 2.82 2.47 Marquette : 73 21 43 57 2.05 2.40 2.83 2.48 Stephenson : 81 23 75 96 1.92 2.15 2.57 2.23 Western UP : 81 21 -3 55 66 58 2.05 2.38 2.80 2.45 2.00 2.28 : Cornell : 68 27 38 72 2.73 2.89 3.34 2.89 Sault St Marie : 67 30 39 82 0.75 0.79 1.21 1.00 Eastern UP : 72 22 -2 34 68 27 2.22 2.33 2.70 2.42 2.13 2.43 : Beulah : 80 27 82 155 1.87 2.34 2.75 2.58 Lake City : 78 26 82 148 1.76 2.04 2.65 2.51 Old Mission : 80 28 59 141 1.33 1.35 1.70 1.56 Pellston : 79 25 57 137 0.74 0.76 1.08 1.00 Northwest : 80 25 -1 67 142 75 1.32 1.48 1.88 1.74 2.33 2.69 : Alpena : 77 30 62 144 1.65 1.76 2.76 2.70 Houghton Lake : 76 28 76 154 2.25 2.36 3.45 3.40 Rogers City : 77 28 65 121 1.79 1.88 3.04 2.99 Northeast : 77 28 0 68 145 68 1.86 1.96 3.06 3.00 2.21 2.52 : Fremont : 79 25 99 167 2.38 2.66 3.30 3.09 Hart : 79 25 84 152 2.52 2.65 3.15 2.81 Muskegon : 78 26 100 158 2.57 3.12 3.46 3.21 West Central : 79 21 -1 94 161 93 2.40 2.70 3.20 2.90 2.66 3.16 : Alma : 83 29 97 164 3.88 4.53 5.65 5.55 Big Rapids : 83 25 109 188 1.99 1.99 3.06 2.98 Central : 83 25 -1 99 174 105 2.83 3.08 3.98 3.89 2.55 3.07 : Bad Axe : 80 32 80 181 2.39 2.72 3.83 3.74 Pigeon : 78 34 69 171 2.19 2.19 3.28 3.23 Saginaw : 80 29 90 173 2.77 3.05 4.49 4.46 Standish : 78 29 86 158 2.14 2.37 3.44 3.32 East Central : 80 29 0 79 174 101 2.24 2.60 3.87 3.81 2.14 2.55 : Fennville : 83 27 107 171 2.22 2.97 3.88 3.71 Grand Rapids : 85 29 119 199 2.09 3.01 3.90 3.73 Holland : 84 30 126 210 2.76 3.84 4.88 4.83 South Bend, IN : 85 30 143 210 0.54 1.13 3.07 2.43 Watervliet : 84 29 115 188 1.69 2.46 3.72 3.54 Southwest : 88 25 1 122 198 121 1.99 2.73 3.95 3.74 2.78 3.41 : Belding : 83 25 94 180 2.94 3.31 4.04 3.95 Coldwater : 85 28 137 184 0.97 1.95 3.99 3.94 Lansing : 82 29 106 195 1.10 2.68 4.32 4.27 South Central : 87 25 2 113 188 121 1.59 2.67 4.01 3.93 2.68 3.19 : Detroit : 86 33 145 212 0.64 2.29 3.80 3.74 Flint : 81 29 118 218 1.76 3.19 4.07 4.04 Romeo : 82 32 121 181 1.07 1.69 1.82 1.82 Tipton : 86 29 138 181 0.26 1.86 3.64 3.63 Toledo, OH : 86 33 162 191 0.13 2.12 3.82 3.76 Southeast : 87 28 4 128 193 111 0.89 2.36 3.59 3.56 2.74 3.21 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Issued by the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Commer 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.