mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released June 15, 2009 Week Ending Date June 14, 2009 Issue MI-CW2409 Agricultural Summary Scattered Precipitation Five days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending June 14, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation varied from 0.62 inches in the western Upper Peninsula to 1.38 inches in the central Lower Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 6 degrees below normal in the eastern Lower Peninsula to 4 degrees below normal in the eastern Upper Peninsula, southwest, south central, and southeast Lower Peninsula. Light and variable rains were a welcome relief where soils were drying. Although the added moisture was expected to improve emergence in fields where conditions were less than ideal for planting; the additional rainfall kept farmers out of the fields. Crop development continued to be delayed by cooler than normal temperatures. Growers continued to hope for warmer temperatures to spur crop development. One reported commented, "Good moisture was received the first of the week. Warmer temperatures are needed." Growers were spraying and side-dressing crops as the weather permitted. Field Crops Report Field Crops Slow crop development continued due to wet and cool temperatures. Wheat continued to progress. The crop was in Feekes growing stages 9 through flowering. Fungicide spraying occurred in the southeast. Oats and barley progressed. Many oat fields were in Feekes growing stage 8. Soybean planting was nearly complete. Nitrogen side-dressing of corn occurred this week. The crop ranged from spike to stage V5. There were numerous reports of the need for sunshine and warmer temperatures to advance the growth of corn and soybeans. First cuttings of alfalfa have been reported. However, harvest has been difficult given precipitation and cloudy weather. Sugarbeets progressed with some fields in the 8-leaf stage. Dry bean planting was fully underway. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Fruit development lagged, as unseasonably cool weather prevailed. The low temperatures have hindered fruit thinning. Apples were 18 to 25 mm in diameter in the southwest and 15 to 30 mm in the Grand Rapids area. Peaches were 18 mm in the southeast and one inch in diameter in the southwest. Yellow leaves from winter injury were reported in the southwest. Plums were 16 to 20 mm in the southwest and 13 mm in the west central. Strawberry harvest began in the southwest and continued in the southeast. The harvest period there was expected to be long because of the lengthy bloom. Raspberry bloom has wound down. Sweet cherries were at 13 mm in the northwest. Tart cherries were 11 to 12 mm in the northwest; they were 14 mm in the southwest, where coloring began. The crop potential improved in the west central. Pears were 11 to 13 mm in the northwest and 18 to 20 mm in the southeast. Blueberries were pea sized and bloom has ended. Phomopsis damage in new fields has been severe in the Grand Rapids area. Grape shoots were 4 to 8 inches long in the northwest; Niagara bloom began in the southwest. Vegetables In general, cool-season crops continued to grow and develop, while progress of warm-season vegetables was at a near standstill due to prevailing cooler temperatures. Heavy rainfall was reported early in the week in Oceana County, causing growers to worry about leaching of fertilizer and herbicide. Asparagus harvest was complete in the southwest, while in the Grand Rapids area, asparagus harvest was expected to continue through the end of June due to slow growth of the crop. Carrot stands were highly variable across the State. In Oceana County, there were reports of flooded areas in good carrot stands. Celery transplanting continued with slow growth reported. Cucumber, summer squash and zucchini grown under tunnels were flowering. Direct seeding of these crops, as well as pumpkins and winter squash, continued this week. Fresh market lettuce harvest was underway; growers in the east were moving to second plantings. Cabbage and peas were nearly ready for harvest this week. Tomato staking was underway, and later plantings were being set out. Tomato plants in high tunnels were setting fruit which was sizing rapidly. Onions on muck soils were making very good progress as were transplants on mineral soils. Peppers, eggplant, and other warm season vegetables were established this week. Sweet corn development continued; growers monitored fields for European corn borer and corn earworm activity. In the southeast, potato planting was complete; emerging potatoes were reported in good condition. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 06/14/09 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 0 5 80 15 Subsoil : 1 5 82 12 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 06/14/09 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 3 9 25 45 18 Barley : 0 5 32 52 11 Corn : 1 4 25 59 11 Oats : 1 2 25 56 16 Pasture : 1 5 23 46 25 Soybeans : 1 2 31 59 7 Winter Wheat : 1 4 23 57 15 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 06/14/09 ------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last :5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ------------------------------------------------------------- : Inches : Corn, height : 6 NA NA NA : : Percent : All hay, first cutting : 48 36 47 57 Asparagus, harvested : 73 62 85 85 Corn, emerged : 94 82 99 95 Dry beans, planted : 40 35 40 52 Oats, headed : 8 1 30 35 Potatoes, emerged : 94 82 84 84 Soybeans, planted : 94 80 98 94 Soybeans, emerged : 76 53 93 86 Strawberries, harvested : 12 5 19 30 Winter wheat, headed : 86 58 96 97 Winter wheat, turning yellow : 2 0 4 13 ------------------------------------------------------------- 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 06/14/09 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 : 73 36 393 391 0.63 0.98 2.39 6.32 Marquette : 75 39 306 350 0.63 0.98 2.39 6.33 Stephenson : 78 45 462 523 0.74 1.33 4.56 8.65 Western UP : 80 34 -5 376 395 460 0.62 1.00 2.58 6.54 7.16 3.61 : Cornell : 75 41 398 454 0.59 0.89 2.93 6.62 Sault St Marie : 74 42 303 377 0.81 0.93 3.00 5.90 Eastern UP : 75 33 -4 312 377 341 0.76 0.99 3.30 7.37 6.77 3.26 : Beulah : 75 45 486 608 0.53 2.19 3.97 7.92 Lake City : 77 42 483 611 0.84 2.64 4.73 9.63 Old Mission : 77 43 421 563 0.79 1.40 2.56 4.70 Pellston : 76 38 404 554 0.75 0.82 2.07 4.26 Northwest : 77 38 -5 427 558 543 0.64 1.49 3.02 6.12 6.63 3.03 : Alpena : 76 43 441 572 1.37 1.66 3.37 7.62 Houghton Lake : 76 43 475 632 1.05 2.03 3.41 8.99 Rogers City : 76 44 447 513 1.15 1.71 3.18 7.78 Northeast : 77 41 -5 459 594 515 1.20 1.79 3.34 8.07 6.58 2.90 : Fremont : 79 47 567 694 1.06 1.12 1.85 7.79 Hart : 77 47 511 623 1.53 2.11 3.84 10.51 Muskegon : 77 49 590 658 0.14 1.05 2.03 7.45 West Central : 79 36 -5 553 655 617 0.97 1.82 3.24 9.05 7.22 2.94 : Alma : 78 48 564 719 1.65 1.83 3.24 11.44 Big Rapids : 77 46 598 712 1.40 1.71 2.68 8.14 Central : 79 46 -5 575 713 663 1.38 1.62 2.65 8.96 7.25 3.36 : Bad Axe : 78 46 506 677 1.17 1.22 1.90 8.31 Pigeon : 77 48 495 677 1.06 1.13 2.10 7.95 Saginaw : 78 49 572 763 1.03 1.18 1.66 8.56 Standish : 78 44 515 656 1.78 1.99 2.72 8.28 East Central : 79 44 -6 503 705 642 1.22 1.34 2.07 8.52 6.51 3.08 : Fennville : 81 48 621 691 0.68 0.89 2.57 8.70 Grand Rapids : 80 52 689 808 0.38 0.93 2.29 8.99 Holland : 83 52 701 785 0.64 1.46 2.75 11.19 South Bend, IN : 81 53 772 856 3.01 3.29 4.29 9.43 Watervliet : 80 52 683 768 0.97 1.34 2.21 8.32 Southwest : 83 41 -4 693 785 711 0.92 1.30 2.26 8.86 7.98 3.55 : Belding : 79 46 585 728 0.82 0.97 1.83 8.63 Coldwater : 81 51 729 780 1.58 1.94 2.99 10.18 Lansing : 78 48 627 803 0.65 0.97 3.08 11.53 South Central : 81 46 -4 647 774 713 0.79 1.12 2.11 9.54 7.65 3.57 : Detroit : 77 51 733 868 1.16 1.43 2.40 9.33 Flint : 77 45 627 845 1.80 1.93 3.05 9.80 Romeo : 79 50 618 751 0.23 0.74 1.71 4.57 Tipton : 80 45 690 799 1.27 1.52 3.03 9.41 Toledo, OH : 78 49 764 857 0.26 0.78 2.02 8.48 Southeast : 81 44 -4 675 814 681 0.86 1.18 2.03 8.26 7.58 3.36 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.