mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released May 4, 2009 Week Ending Date May 3, 2009 Issue MI-CW1809 Agricultural Summary Wet Weather Continues Two days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 3, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation varied from 0.28 inches in the western Upper Peninsula to 1.39 inches in the south central Lower Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from normal in the western Upper Peninsula to 4 degrees above normal in the southeast Lower Peninsula. Rainfall continued to hinder field activities for the week. Fields were too wet for planting; standing water was seen in many fields. Limited planting and field preparation continued on lighter soils as the weather allowed. Field Crops Report Field Crops The rainy weather continued to hinder planting in the majority of the state, however field work progressed as weather permitted. Farmers were reporting that the rain was good for alfalfa growth; but there were reports of winter kill and weevil feeding. The abundance of moisture could result in rot in the root system or diseases. Corn and soybean planting have been limited. Farmers were hoping for warmer, drier temperatures to provide a window for planting. Wheat was progressing, top dressing was completed and some fields showed yellow in the southeast. Oat planting was underway, as weather permitted. Early seeded fields have emerged. However, some were giving up on planting oats this year. Sugarbeet planting neared completion in many areas. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit A radiation freeze on the morning of April 23 caused freeze injury to most fruit crops in the southwest. Warm weather afterwards pushed crops to normal seasonal levels of development or beyond. Extremely wet conditions in some areas hampered planting and spraying. Apples ranged from green tip in the northwest to pink and open cluster in the southwest. Peaches were blooming in the southwest and were at calyx green in the west central. European plums were at tight cluster in the west central and at bud burst in the northwest. Strawberries were emerging across the southern part of the state. Sweet cherries ranged from early bud burst in the northwest to full bloom in the southwest. Tart cherries were at green tip in the northwest and were in early bloom in the southwest. Pears were at open cluster in the southwest and in bud burst in the west central. Blueberries were 1.25 inch green in the west central and bud burst in the southwest, where some winter injury to Bluecrop variety buds has been detected. Grapes were bud burst in the southwest; Chardonnay wine grapes were at early bud swell in the northwest. Vegetables Continued wet weather across the central and southern regions put many of the normal field activities on hold. Carrot planting continued in the west central region where soils were dry enough. In the southwest, onion planting is essentially complete, while celery planting fell behind schedule due to excessive rains and wet fields. Celery planted earlier in the season is reported to be off to a good start. Early planted cabbage was getting established, and planting of sweet corn and potatoes continued. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 05/03/09 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 0 1 34 65 Subsoil : 0 1 46 53 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 05/03/09 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Oats : 2 2 27 50 19 Pasture : 1 8 37 41 13 Winter Wheat : 2 4 23 53 18 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 05/03/09 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Barley, planted : 33 16 15 47 Barley, emerged : 15 0 3 18 Corn, planted : 5 3 37 38 Corn, emerged : 0 0 1 2 Oats, planted : 63 49 71 79 Oats, emerged : 24 10 31 39 Potatoes, planted : 11 11 30 28 Soybeans, planted : 1 0 7 11 Sugarbeets, planted : 88 81 94 93 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 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 05/03/09 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 : 63 28 81 74 0.28 2.33 2.67 2.75 Marquette : 63 25 67 59 0.28 2.33 2.68 2.76 Stephenson : 69 31 117 103 0.11 2.03 2.26 2.34 Western UP : 69 25 0 82 73 91 0.28 2.33 2.66 2.73 2.65 3.37 : Cornell : 71 28 100 82 0.17 2.15 2.54 2.54 Sault St Marie : 65 31 57 92 0.16 0.91 0.95 1.16 Eastern UP : 71 23 1 63 77 47 0.16 2.22 2.39 2.47 2.79 3.01 : Beulah : 71 36 131 184 0.31 2.18 2.65 2.89 Lake City : 71 30 127 169 0.78 2.54 2.88 3.29 Old Mission : 70 36 95 161 0.05 1.38 1.40 1.61 Pellston : 72 25 95 154 0.13 0.87 0.89 1.13 Northwest : 72 25 2 108 163 114 0.26 1.65 1.82 2.07 3.00 2.61 : Alpena : 77 29 102 163 0.24 1.89 2.00 2.94 Houghton Lake : 72 33 117 178 0.85 3.10 3.21 4.25 Rogers City : 74 33 105 144 0.45 2.24 2.33 3.44 Northeast : 77 29 2 109 167 103 0.53 2.39 2.50 3.53 2.92 2.76 : Fremont : 71 36 144 196 1.39 3.77 4.05 4.48 Hart : 69 38 127 180 0.87 3.39 3.52 3.68 Muskegon : 73 37 150 187 1.53 4.10 4.65 4.74 West Central : 73 36 2 142 192 139 1.07 3.16 3.46 3.66 3.43 2.67 : Alma : 76 40 144 198 1.41 5.28 5.95 6.95 Big Rapids : 76 38 154 223 1.24 3.23 3.26 4.22 Central : 76 38 2 145 208 155 1.21 4.04 4.31 5.10 3.43 2.79 : Bad Axe : 81 38 131 215 1.35 3.74 4.08 5.09 Pigeon : 80 38 121 205 1.25 3.44 3.47 4.48 Saginaw : 78 40 143 214 1.43 4.20 4.77 5.89 Standish : 77 34 130 188 0.96 3.10 3.33 4.28 East Central : 81 34 2 128 210 148 1.38 3.62 4.05 5.19 2.84 2.63 : Fennville : 74 36 161 210 1.43 3.65 4.40 5.14 Grand Rapids : 76 39 176 239 1.76 3.85 4.77 5.49 Holland : 75 43 173 249 1.66 4.73 5.86 6.80 South Bend, IN : 77 41 209 256 1.21 1.75 2.34 3.64 Watervliet : 76 40 172 228 1.46 3.15 4.06 5.00 Southwest : 77 36 2 178 240 176 1.33 3.33 4.19 5.09 3.64 3.01 : Belding : 75 40 144 212 1.40 4.34 4.71 5.35 Coldwater : 78 38 200 224 0.25 1.22 3.87 4.19 Lansing : 78 41 165 240 2.20 3.30 4.91 6.47 South Central : 83 37 2 170 229 177 1.39 3.11 4.38 5.45 3.37 2.92 : Detroit : 84 41 221 261 1.27 1.91 3.56 5.01 Flint : 80 40 183 267 1.30 3.06 4.51 5.34 Romeo : 69 38 175 210 0.33 1.36 1.98 2.11 Tipton : 80 32 201 232 0.82 1.08 2.70 4.45 Toledo, OH : 70 37 222 245 1.01 1.14 3.29 4.77 Southeast : 85 32 4 194 240 163 0.99 1.88 3.45 4.55 3.38 2.85 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.