mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released May 11, 2009 Week Ending Date May 10, 2009 Issue MI-CW1909 Agricultural Summary Mild Temperatures Four days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 10, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation varied from 0.18 inches in the northeastern Lower Peninsula to 0.60 inches in the western Upper Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 2 degrees above normal in the eastern Upper Peninsula and the east central, south central, and southeastern Lower Peninsula to 3 degrees above normal in the western Upper Peninsula and the northwestern, northeastern, west central, central, and southwestern Lower Peninsula. Farmers were able to perform fieldwork this past week where conditions allowed. A grower in the Southeast region reported, "A great first half of the week allowed planting to progress in some fields for most farmers. Some fields were still too wet, even before the rains came Thursday." Cool temperatures and showers at the end of the week slowed field work. "More wet cold weather delayed planting and field work again. The rain was spotty in some areas. This will be favorable for farmers to get back into the fields this week," a reporter in the Thumb region stated. Field Crops Report Field Crops A short break in the rain allowed for planting to occur in much of the state. Alfalfa was growing well and some fields were a foot tall. There were reports of weevil larvae feeding. Planting of corn and soybeans finally got underway in fields that had dried out. Wheat was progressing, but showed signs of powdery mildew and damage from ponding and winter ice. The majority of the crop was in Feekes growing stages 5, with some in Feekes 4, 6 and 7. Oats and barley benefitted from the cool, wet temperatures and were progressing well. Rye, in the southeast, was nearly two feet tall. Rye that was planted as a cover crop was being burned down to allow for planting of other crops. The sugarbeet crop showed signs of harm from the abundance of rain received. Potato planting was underway. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Fruit development remained slightly ahead of normal in most regions. Growers applied fungicides, as soils dried from heavy rains in April. No widespread frost damage has been reported. Apples ranged from tight cluster in the northwest to near full bloom in the southwest. Spotted tentiform leafminer adults were flying and laying eggs. Peaches were at calyx red in the west central; a heavy bloom ended in the southwest. Stanley plums were in open cluster in the west central. Strawberry flower trusses were fully emerged in the southeast, and bloom began in the southwest. Raspberry leaves were unfurling in the southeast and shoots were elongating. Sweet cherries ranged from late bud burst to early white bud in the northwest. Tart cherries were at early bud burst in the northwest; they were in full bloom in the southwest. Pears were in full bloom in the southwest and in cluster bud to open cluster in the west central. Blueberries were at early pink in Ottawa- Allegan County region and at pink bud in the southwest. Wet fields have made use of ground equipment difficult, causing an increase in aerial spraying. Some winter damage to wine grapes was detected in the southwest, but the juice crop looked good. Vegetables Vegetable growers across the State continued to prepare sites and lay plastic this week, but most felt they are one-week behind due to recent rains. Asparagus growers began to harvest some of the young fields. Production has been slow due to cool temperatures. Carrot growers were mostly caught up on planting, and early planted carrots started to emerge. Celery planting was also nearly back on schedule; growers reported that plants in the field were in good condition. Onion planting was nearly complete, with most fields showing emergence. Tomatoes were being placed under low tunnels, as were cucumber transplants and seed. Peas were approximately six inches tall with no flowers evident at this time. Red beets, radish, and lettuce seeding were underway and close to being on-schedule. A significant amount of cabbage and sweet corn was established on muck soils. Some early sweet corn was also planted where soils have been warmer and drier, and cabbage transplanting on upland soils continued. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 05/10/09 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 1 2 54 43 Subsoil : 0 3 61 36 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 05/10/09 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Oats : 1 2 34 52 11 Pasture : 3 5 32 41 19 Winter Wheat : 1 6 25 51 17 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 05/10/09 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Barley, planted : 54 33 30 61 Barley, emerged : 27 15 7 34 Corn, planted : 18 5 66 62 Corn, emerged : 0 0 10 11 Oats, planted : 77 63 81 87 Oats, emerged : 40 24 46 61 Potatoes, planted : 28 11 45 44 Soybeans, planted : 5 1 29 28 Sugarbeets, planted : 91 88 98 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 05/10/09 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 : 72 30 131 102 0.59 0.87 3.26 3.34 Marquette : 70 30 105 86 0.59 0.87 3.27 3.35 Stephenson : 76 31 171 139 1.05 1.16 3.31 3.39 Western UP : 76 27 3 130 101 128 0.60 0.88 3.26 3.33 3.32 3.37 : Cornell : 70 32 145 118 0.46 0.63 3.00 3.00 Sault St Marie : 68 33 94 112 0.15 0.31 1.10 1.31 Eastern UP : 72 29 2 101 105 72 0.54 0.70 2.93 3.01 3.50 3.01 : Beulah : 72 37 186 233 0.37 0.68 3.02 3.26 Lake City : 74 30 187 218 0.07 0.85 2.93 3.40 Old Mission : 75 34 147 198 0.09 0.14 1.49 1.70 Pellston : 74 26 146 194 0.37 0.50 1.26 1.50 Northwest : 75 26 3 159 204 159 0.21 0.47 2.03 2.29 3.60 2.61 : Alpena : 76 29 154 201 0.29 0.53 2.29 3.23 Houghton Lake : 75 32 177 228 0.05 0.90 3.26 4.30 Rogers City : 74 31 160 179 0.17 0.62 2.50 3.61 Northeast : 76 29 3 166 214 146 0.18 0.71 2.67 3.71 3.58 2.76 : Fremont : 72 37 205 256 0.46 1.85 4.51 4.94 Hart : 72 36 186 234 0.75 1.62 4.27 4.43 Muskegon : 73 37 209 240 0.19 1.72 4.84 4.93 West Central : 76 30 3 203 248 191 0.52 1.59 3.98 4.19 3.97 2.67 : Alma : 76 39 206 262 0.46 1.87 6.39 7.41 Big Rapids : 76 34 224 285 0.60 1.84 3.83 4.82 Central : 76 34 3 211 269 212 0.50 1.71 4.79 5.60 4.07 2.79 : Bad Axe : 76 37 186 267 0.74 2.09 4.81 5.83 Pigeon : 76 37 179 257 0.86 2.11 4.30 5.34 Saginaw : 76 38 204 274 0.47 1.90 4.95 6.36 Standish : 77 34 192 238 0.39 1.35 3.72 4.67 East Central : 77 34 2 182 265 201 0.58 1.97 4.57 5.78 3.45 2.63 : Fennville : 74 38 226 267 0.31 1.74 4.71 5.45 Grand Rapids : 73 41 249 304 0.42 2.18 5.19 5.91 Holland : 75 41 253 310 0.31 2.01 6.16 7.15 South Bend, IN : 77 39 283 327 0.30 1.51 2.64 3.94 Watervliet : 74 40 242 291 0.14 1.60 4.06 5.14 Southwest : 77 35 3 249 304 237 0.21 1.62 4.63 5.64 4.29 3.01 : Belding : 74 40 208 268 0.50 1.90 5.21 5.85 Coldwater : 75 40 267 283 0.22 0.47 2.42 4.41 Lansing : 73 42 228 304 0.57 2.77 5.45 7.04 South Central : 77 39 2 241 292 239 0.57 1.95 4.74 6.01 4.07 2.92 : Detroit : 74 46 286 329 0.25 1.52 3.81 5.26 Flint : 74 40 240 333 0.42 1.72 4.91 5.76 Romeo : 75 42 229 264 0.20 0.53 2.18 2.31 Tipton : 74 40 267 297 0.19 1.01 2.87 4.64 Toledo, OH : 73 44 288 320 0.52 1.53 3.65 5.29 Southeast : 76 36 2 254 305 223 0.29 1.28 3.64 4.83 4.10 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.