mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released August 24, 2009 Week Ending Date August 23, 2009 Issue MI-CW3409 Agricultural Summary Varied Precipitation Five days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 23, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation varied from 0.28 inches in the east central Lower Peninsula to 1.59 inches in the southwest Lower Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 4 degrees below normal in the western Upper Peninsula to normal temperatures in the northwest, central, and south central Lower Peninsula. Scattered rain showers were experienced this week with cool temperatures seen throughout the summer. The rain showers were helpful for continued crop growth, but more warm temperature days are greatly needed for crop maturity. Varied temperatures were experienced throughout the week with hot and humid weather in the beginning to cooler windy and rainy days at the end of the week. Early frosts were beginning to become a concern with the below average temperatures we have had this summer. A grower in the southwest Lower Peninsula commented, "Spotty rains and warmer weather have helped to advance crops. Cooler temperatures and drier weather have put current crop growth at normal pace. Concerns about crop maturity exist." Another grower in the central Lower Peninsula commented, "We need warm weather all through September and half of October to mature the crop. An early frost will be very serious." Field Crops Report Field Crops Needed heat and moisture helped to improve the appearance of many crops but hindered haying activities. Farmers need heat units to continue the positive progression of the crop. Wheat harvest was complete. However in the Thumb, many acres were not harvested, plowed under, or piled in the corner of the various fields. This was largely attributed to the sprouting that occurred in the heads of white winter wheat. Oat harvest was underway, and some areas were completely harvested. Corn grew significantly this week with the pleasant weather conditions. In the northwest, corn has been slow to develop, providing opportunity for increased disease pressure. Soybeans responded positively to the good weather. In the south central, a reporter stated, "With adequate moisture, mild temperatures, and a fair amount of sun, corn and soybeans continue to make up for lost growth earlier in the year." The third cutting of alfalfa continued as conditions permitted. Sugarbeets continued to progress. Farmers anticipated a good crop with harvest expected to begin on September 15. Dry beans continued to advance. In the west central, the crop was setting and filling pods. There were reports of white mold in the dry beans in several areas. In the central area, farmers reported severe damage from heavy rains. In the Upper Peninsula, harvest of birdsfoot trefoil seed was underway. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit The harvest of early apple varieties continued; fruit size and quality remained good. Clean-up efforts continued in Michigan's Fruit Ridge. In the southwest, growers were harvesting Elliot, Jersey, and Bluecrop blueberries; quality and size were excellent. Peach harvest continued; in the Grand Rapids area, quality was excellent. Harvest of Bartlett pears began in the southwest. Harvest of early plum varieties continued. Raspberry harvest was completed in the northwest; fall raspberry harvest was underway in the southern region. Tart cherry harvest was completed. Grapes continued to color in the southwest. Vegetables Cucurbit downy mildew has continued to show up in pickle and cucumber fields in several counties. Growers in counties where downy mildew was confirmed were advised to apply protectant fungicides at the recommended intervals to cucumber, pickle and melon plantings. Diseases and pest pressures also continued to cause concern to tomato producers as harvest continued across the state. In the west central region, late blight was observed in several commercial potato fields and some tomato gardens but has been kept in check where regular, preventive treatments were applied. Harvest of potatoes, peppers, eggplant, cabbage, lettuce, radishes, zucchini, yellow squash and sweet corn also continued this week, with overall positive reports. In the south, watermelons were also harvested in a number of locations. Pumpkins and fall squash continued to flower and set fruit. Onion harvest continued at a slow pace this week; growers in the Grand Rapids area reported that some fields are likely to yield less due to disease, primarily downy mildew, and stand reduction from earlier wet soil conditions. Also in the Grand Rapids area, leek, carrot, and parsnip development continued while celery was about 30 to 40 percent harvested with no problems reported. In Oceana County, disease pressures remained high in some carrot fields while an upswing in foliar diseases was observed in asparagus fields since the earlier rains and increased humidity. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 08/23/09 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 5 23 70 2 Subsoil : 5 23 70 2 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 08/23/09 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 3 10 34 42 11 Corn : 5 11 28 45 11 Dry beans : 5 11 43 32 9 Oats : 3 12 26 49 10 Pasture : 3 9 40 39 9 Soybeans : 5 11 30 45 9 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 08/23/09 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All hay, second cutting : 81 78 91 91 All hay, third cutting : 30 24 41 45 Apples, harvested : 5 4 4 2 Blueberries, harvested : 80 75 79 83 Corn, silked : 96 91 100 98 Corn, dough : 41 21 74 71 Dry beans, blooming : 99 79 100 100 Dry beans, setting pods : 79 27 93 96 Oats, harvested : 68 38 91 91 Peaches, harvested : 45 29 41 51 Potatoes, harvested : 14 12 19 13 Soybeans, blooming : 97 87 100 99 Soybeans, setting pods : 80 56 97 94 Tart cherries, harvested : 100 93 100 100 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 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 08/23/09 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 36 1,377 1,468 1.23 1.63 2.58 11.66 Marquette : 81 39 1,265 1,385 1.23 1.63 2.58 11.67 Stephenson : 81 39 1,585 1,746 0.92 1.38 2.82 12.17 Western UP : 83 34 -4 1,366 1,462 1,524 1.18 1.55 2.45 11.79 15.29 3.69 : Cornell : 78 45 1,479 1,616 1.07 1.45 3.34 11.76 Sault St Marie : 80 51 1,277 1,427 1.30 1.51 2.63 12.01 Eastern UP : 80 44 -1 1,278 1,418 1,329 1.41 1.74 3.24 13.45 14.41 3.53 : Beulah : 82 54 1,654 1,878 0.94 1.21 5.42 16.11 Lake City : 81 47 1,580 1,788 1.73 1.81 4.66 16.87 Old Mission : 80 52 1,536 1,802 1.05 1.68 2.97 11.10 Pellston : 82 46 1,454 1,709 1.02 3.86 4.82 11.24 Northwest : 82 46 0 1,513 1,741 1,719 1.03 1.82 3.66 12.13 13.50 3.11 : Alpena : 81 52 1,563 1,782 0.91 1.80 4.14 16.65 Houghton Lake : 79 49 1,593 1,832 0.45 0.63 2.53 14.66 Rogers City : 80 51 1,528 1,746 1.21 3.77 6.99 19.51 Northeast : 81 47 1 1,554 1,783 1,668 1.04 2.20 4.27 16.20 13.57 3.12 : Fremont : 79 52 1,786 1,971 1.06 1.41 4.53 14.54 Hart : 79 49 1,694 1,870 0.85 0.95 2.69 15.68 Muskegon : 82 59 1,954 1,972 0.99 1.38 3.33 13.62 West Central : 82 49 -1 1,784 1,909 1,877 1.04 1.31 3.57 15.44 13.85 3.60 : Alma : 82 54 1,846 2,080 0.26 0.68 4.04 18.25 Big Rapids : 82 52 1,723 1,987 0.60 0.76 4.15 18.11 Central : 82 52 0 1,783 2,016 1,949 0.55 0.87 4.20 16.87 14.79 3.64 : Bad Axe : 84 55 1,724 2,002 0.10 0.10 0.95 15.90 Pigeon : 84 54 1,699 1,924 0.60 0.61 2.17 16.38 Saginaw : 83 54 1,899 2,124 0.07 0.57 2.36 15.48 Standish : 88 53 1,690 1,886 0.32 0.86 2.71 14.34 East Central : 88 53 1 1,715 2,004 1,940 0.28 0.65 2.47 16.32 13.36 2.93 : Fennville : 83 52 1,875 1,993 0.97 1.30 3.23 16.96 Grand Rapids : 82 57 2,093 2,278 0.44 0.55 3.09 19.63 Holland : 93 57 2,172 2,274 0.97 1.19 4.75 27.64 South Bend, IN : 82 57 2,230 2,335 4.64 4.88 6.19 19.79 Watervliet : 83 55 2,036 2,146 1.67 2.02 3.64 16.11 Southwest : 93 50 -1 2,051 2,167 2,107 1.59 1.95 3.89 17.61 15.41 3.18 : Belding : 82 51 1,804 2,028 0.76 1.48 4.10 17.87 Coldwater : 84 56 2,104 2,140 2.51 2.52 3.08 16.78 Lansing : 81 55 1,983 2,202 0.14 0.50 4.28 22.15 South Central : 84 51 0 1,938 2,137 2,081 0.83 1.29 3.77 18.55 15.44 3.36 : Detroit : 85 59 2,237 2,421 0.68 0.68 2.22 17.79 Flint : 82 56 1,932 2,244 0.33 0.61 4.62 21.65 Romeo : 85 55 1,931 2,123 0.29 0.32 4.32 15.95 Tipton : 83 55 1,985 2,176 1.13 1.17 2.53 15.46 Toledo, OH : 84 60 2,256 2,380 1.20 2.05 2.84 15.81 Southeast : 88 54 1 2,027 2,233 2,070 0.75 0.89 2.87 15.61 14.92 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.