mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released August 3, 2009 Week Ending Date August 2, 2009 Issue MI-CW3109 Agricultural Summary Cool with Scattered Rain Five days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 2, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation varied from 0.08 inches in the west central Lower Peninsula to 0.86 inches in the northeast Lower Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 4 degrees below normal in the western upper Peninsula to 2 degrees below normal in the eastern Upper Peninsula and northwest, northeast, west central, central, east central, and southeast Lower Peninsula. Growers were still reporting the need for warmer temperatures and rain to advance crop development. A grower in the southwest commented, "Overall crops look good. Warmer, dryer weather is needed for timely maturity. Continuing scattered rainfall is hindering making dry hay and harvesting wheat." Another grower in the west central commented, "We made it through July with only .6 inches of rain. I looked back through my records to 1974, and only in July of 1988, the year of the drought, did we receive less rain." Field Crops Report Field Crops Cool temperatures and dry weather continued and was impeding crop progress. Reports, from all areas of the State, expressed concerns about the dry weather and cool temperatures. A reporter in the southeast stated, "We will need a terrific second-half of the growing season to get good yields." Wheat harvest continued in many areas. However there were numerous reports of sprouting. In the Thumb, it was reported that some elevators were not accepting wheat at this time. The presence of wheat sprouts in loads was reported to be as high as 20%. Therefore, the crop can be primarily sold as livestock feed, not as grain as originally intended. Farmers continued to assess damage to the crop. Test weights, in the central part of the State, were low for oats. Corn and soybeans would benefit from an all day rain soaker, as it would abet pod setting and ear development. Both crops were short, but growing. Due to a late harvest, double-cropped soybeans will be minimal, if any, this year. Alfalfa harvest has been difficult due to daily rains, forecasts of precipitation and cooler temperatures. Rains in previous weeks proved to be beneficial for sugarbeets, as the crop has responded positively. Dry beans development continued. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Apples continued to size well in the southwest; most were over two inches with some early varieties at three inches in size; fruit size and quality looked excellent. In the southeast, harvest of summer varieties neared completion. Blueberry harvest continued with midseason varieties. Peach harvest of early varieties was underway; bacterial spot symptoms were evident. Peach size suffered in areas where moisture was short. In the Grand Rapids area, early peach harvest was underway and quality was excellent. Pears were 43 mm in the northwest, 1.75 inches in the southeast, and 2 inches in diameter in the southwest; pear psylla damage on foliage and fruit was found. European plums were 1.25 inches in diameter while harvest of Japanese plums was underway in the southwest; apple maggots were a problem in ripening plums. Red raspberry harvest was underway in the northwest. Strawberry renovation was completed in the southeast. Sweet cherry harvest was completed in the west central; fruit size and quality were excellent. Tart cherry harvest continued; fruit cracking was a concern in the northwest with the recent rainfall. In the southwest, fruit quality was variable. Grape clusters looked good in the southwest and northwest. Vegetables Sweet corn harvest picked up across the State this week; growers reported that European corn borer traps were down, but more western bean cutworms have been observed. Pumpkin development continued across the State; in the south, growers reported the crop in good condition, while in Oceana county, pumpkin development was behind schedule. In the east central region, carrot harvest was underway on the muck soils. In the Grand Rapids area, celery harvest was in full swing; growers reported good yields and quality, with few disease and insect problems. Onion development continued with harvest not expected for several weeks. Radish, red beets, lettuce and cole crops were growing well where adequate water was applied. In the southwest, harvest of peppers, eggplant, cantaloup, and tomatoes began this week. Growers reported fruit size in tomatoes was somewhat larger than normal due to cool temperatures. Watermelon and cantaloupes continued to flower and develop runners. Cucumber, yellow squash and zucchini harvest continued in the southwest with little difficulty. Downy mildew was observed on cucumbers, onions, squash, and melons in different parts of the State; growers were advised to take immediate protective measures. In the southeast, some early potatoes were harvested with no major problems reported. In St. Joseph county, potato late blight was confirmed in three fields; growers were advised to be extra vigilant when scouting fields for late blight. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 08/02/09 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 18 28 52 2 Subsoil : 10 33 56 1 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 08/02/09 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 2 10 29 49 10 Corn : 5 13 32 42 8 Dry beans : 4 12 40 39 5 Oats : 2 5 26 62 5 Pasture : 7 13 39 36 5 Soybeans : 5 12 32 44 7 Winter Wheat : 10 7 17 46 20 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 08/02/09 ------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last :5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ------------------------------------------------------------- : Inches : Corn, height : 66 55 75 71 : : Percent : All hay, second cutting : 63 56 72 74 All hay, third cutting : 7 5 17 14 Blueberries, harvested : 57 1/52 45 49 Corn, silked : 47 23 83 83 Corn, dough : 1 0 12 10 Dry beans, blooming : 32 18 61 66 Dry beans, setting pods : 10 4 10 27 Oats, turning yellow : 84 60 84 90 Oats, harvested : 9 5 19 32 Peaches, harvested : 21 8 30 25 Potatoes, harvested : 7 0 8 4 Soybeans, blooming : 69 47 83 81 Soybeans, setting pods : 15 10 48 50 Tart cherries, harvested : 55 25 87 87 Winter wheat, harvested : 78 38 95 95 ------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Revised 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 08/02/09 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 : 79 45 1,049 1,132 0.37 1.01 1.80 9.45 Marquette : 79 45 937 1,059 0.37 1.01 1.80 9.46 Stephenson : 83 47 1,221 1,388 0.52 0.85 0.99 9.87 Western UP : 83 45 -4 1,039 1,132 1,212 0.38 1.17 1.79 9.72 12.94 3.69 : Cornell : 81 49 1,140 1,246 0.84 2.22 2.44 9.26 Sault St Marie : 75 49 945 1,067 0.23 1.29 2.07 9.61 Eastern UP : 81 49 -2 955 1,075 1,031 0.75 1.81 2.47 10.96 12.15 3.53 : Beulah : 81 54 1,273 1,487 1.14 2.05 2.21 11.83 Lake City : 79 48 1,219 1,431 0.54 1.67 1.79 12.75 Old Mission : 82 51 1,173 1,409 0.27 1.80 2.20 8.40 Pellston : 78 46 1,104 1,354 0.60 1.31 1.67 7.02 Northwest : 82 46 -2 1,158 1,372 1,375 0.50 1.36 1.67 8.97 11.51 3.11 : Alpena : 82 50 1,181 1,419 0.72 3.59 3.98 13.23 Houghton Lake : 80 50 1,223 1,476 1.03 3.31 3.55 13.16 Rogers City : 81 54 1,165 1,364 1.21 4.06 4.97 13.73 Northeast : 82 50 -2 1,190 1,427 1,328 0.86 3.24 3.69 12.79 11.57 3.12 : Fremont : 80 52 1,393 1,577 0.20 0.53 1.35 10.21 Hart : 81 52 1,316 1,491 0.00 0.61 0.84 12.99 Muskegon : 81 57 1,504 1,558 0.10 0.13 0.95 10.39 West Central : 83 51 -2 1,386 1,524 1,508 0.08 0.87 1.41 11.95 11.49 3.60 : Alma : 85 55 1,435 1,687 0.11 0.67 0.96 14.32 Big Rapids : 83 54 1,370 1,616 0.41 0.92 1.40 12.51 Central : 85 51 -2 1,393 1,633 1,577 0.20 0.96 1.43 12.41 12.43 3.64 : Bad Axe : 83 56 1,310 1,621 0.10 3.97 4.39 15.05 Pigeon : 82 54 1,301 1,566 0.36 3.54 3.71 14.57 Saginaw : 84 54 1,460 1,731 0.15 1.09 1.50 13.27 Standish : 82 50 1,302 1,525 0.11 1.41 1.48 11.74 East Central : 84 50 -2 1,308 1,627 1,561 0.16 2.32 2.60 14.01 11.42 2.93 : Fennville : 81 54 1,464 1,592 0.03 0.03 1.20 13.76 Grand Rapids : 84 54 1,627 1,828 0.19 0.28 2.48 16.73 Holland : 85 56 1,709 1,824 0.28 0.93 3.57 23.17 South Bend, IN : 83 54 1,766 1,901 1.02 1.42 2.37 14.62 Watervliet : 83 54 1,592 1,733 0.22 0.46 1.34 12.69 Southwest : 89 51 -3 1,609 1,753 1,698 0.26 0.50 1.51 13.97 13.30 3.18 : Belding : 81 52 1,401 1,624 0.20 2.83 3.27 13.97 Coldwater : 83 51 1,656 1,731 0.26 0.93 1.11 13.96 Lansing : 84 55 1,538 1,780 0.09 2.40 2.81 17.96 South Central : 84 49 -3 1,513 1,733 1,683 0.79 1.89 2.65 15.57 13.13 3.36 : Detroit : 84 59 1,738 1,951 0.18 1.17 2.49 15.75 Flint : 84 52 1,501 1,831 0.07 0.84 2.26 17.10 Romeo : 84 54 1,496 1,712 0.11 1.30 1.54 11.74 Tipton : 84 50 1,572 1,770 0.13 0.60 1.14 13.06 Toledo, OH : 85 56 1,773 1,930 0.61 1.64 2.06 13.58 Southeast : 86 50 -2 1,581 1,812 1,662 0.20 0.82 1.38 12.93 12.71 3.12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.