mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released August 2, 2010 Week Ending Date August 1, 2010 Issue MI-CW3110 Agricultural Summary Warm and Dry Six days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 1, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation ranged from 0.10 inches in the southwestern Lower Peninsula to 1.77 inches in the western Upper Peninsula. Temperatures ranged from 0 to 2 degrees above normal in the Lower Peninsula and 2 to 4 degrees above normal in the Upper Peninsula. It was another good week for fieldwork with only light rains during the week. Favorable weather conditions advanced farm activities across much of the state. Field activities included harvesting vegetables and wheat, second cutting of hay, spraying dry beans for western bean cutworms and soybeans for bean leaf beetle. Many producers in the central and east central Lower Peninsula were very anxious for some rain. "Another week of hot and dry conditions, the corn leaves are dry half way up the plants in many fields, and the soybeans have very few pods. The soybeans have been blossoming for a long time, but the heat has not allowed a good pod set," reported one producer in the region. Field Crops Report Field Crops Field crops needed rain after a week of lightly scattered precipitation and high temperatures. The warmer weather and increased growing degree days have resulted in many crops being ahead of schedule for the year. Corn followed this trend as it continued through pollination during the week. Fungicide sprays were being applied to prevent foliage concerns. Some pests have been causing small amounts of stalk and root damage. Early planted soybean pods were filling nicely. Areas around the Thumb consistently reported concern of having dry fields. Sugarbeets continued to show characteristics of a record crop. "We are very excited about this beet crop," said one field reporter. Farmers worked on second and third alfalfa cutting. Conditions remained positive but were threatened by the continued dry weather. Dry beans were reported to be in variable stages of growth. Wheat harvest was completed. Yields were reported to be mixed with a few vomitoxin concerns. Oat and barley harvests increased, but with lower than expected yields. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Rainfall totals have been variable across the state. Most farms in the southeast remain dry and have irrigated tree and small fruit crops the past two weeks. Apples ranged from 53 to 61 mm in the northwest, and fruit size was about 2.75 to 3 inches in the southwest and southeast. Early varieties of apples were being harvested in the southeast and southwest. European red mite numbers increased in the southwest. Predicted harvest dates for major varieties in the Grand Rapids area are 12 days earlier than normal. Peaches were 2.5 inches in the southeast; harvest of early varieties continued across the state. European plums ranged from 32 mm in the northwest to 2 inches in length and 1.5 inches in diameter and continued to color in the southeast. Harvest of early varieties has started in the southwest. Strawberries have rebounded well where soil moisture supplies have been adequate in the southeast. Growth in the southwest continued to be poor due to drought conditions and potato leafhoppers. Leaf spot infections in sweet and tart cherries have continued to cause leaf drop in the southeast. Tart cherry harvest has ended in the northwest. Pears ranged from 48 mm in the northwest to 2.0 to 2.25 inches in diameter in the southeast. Harvest of Clapp's Favorite has begun in the southwest. Harvest of blueberries continued. Grapes have green fruit in the northwest and veraison has begun in the southwest. Summer raspberry harvest continued in the southwest and has wrapped up in the southeast. Vegetables Warm weather and humidity continued. Rains were welcomed in some regions but other areas remained dry. Diseases were a concern in many areas. Harvest of cabbage, yellow squash, zucchini for fresh and processing, cucumbers for pickles, sweet corn, potatoes, snap beans, peppers, and eggplant continued. In the southwest, growers were removing early planted fields, preparing fields for replanting, and replanting cucumbers, zucchini and yellow squash. Broccoli and cauliflower were growing quickly, and some growers were still transplanting. Rust, earworms, and western bean cutworms were found in some sweet corn fields. In the Macomb County area, blackbirds and raccoons were damaging fields. Onions had falling tops and first fields were undercut. Thrip counts remained high. Celery harvest continued, however some growers were just beginning their first harvests. The crop has had presence of celery leaftier, variegated cutworm, aphids, bacterial blight, early blight and Fusarium. Tomato harvest continued. Harvest has slowed as crops have not been ripening quickly. Blossom end rot was present in pepper and tomato fields in the southwest. Vine crops, such as pumpkins and fall squash, continued sizing. Plants that had not set fruit had a very high male to female blossom ratio. Watermelon harvest is expected to begin next week in the southwest; harvest was underway in the southeast. Cucumber beetles were active in vine crops. On muck soils, carrots, radishes, lettuce, beets, turnips, and leeks were growing well. Beetle activity in Oceana County was still reported in asparagus fields. Ferns did not appear to be as large as they should be at this point in development. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 08/01/10 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 9 23 62 6 Subsoil : 6 20 68 6 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 08/01/10 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 1 4 19 45 31 Barley : 0 6 18 51 25 Corn : 2 5 14 44 35 Dry beans : 5 14 28 37 16 Oats : 1 5 15 49 30 Pasture : 3 6 22 48 21 Soybeans : 2 5 21 48 24 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 08/01/10 ------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last :5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ------------------------------------------------------------- : Inches : Corn, height : 83 79 64 73 : : Percent : All hay, second cutting : 71 59 62 72 All hay, third cutting : 20 5 7 13 Barley, harvested : 28 4 NA NA Blueberries, harvested : 66 48 56 46 Corn, silked : 94 83 44 77 Corn, dough : 32 11 1 7 Corn, dent : 2 NA 0 NA Dry beans, blooming : 81 56 30 62 Dry beans, setting pods : 36 18 9 23 Oats, turning yellow : 97 94 81 88 Oats, harvested : 62 24 8 26 Peaches, harvested : 23 18 19 22 Potatoes, harvested : 1 0 6 5 Soybeans, blooming : 89 76 66 81 Soybeans, setting pods : 52 31 14 45 Tart cherries, harvested : 98 94 51 78 ------------------------------------------------------------- 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 08/01/10 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : :Cumulative growing: : Temperature : degree days 2/ : Precipitation :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : : : : : Normal Station : : :Departure: : : :This:Last :Last : Since :------------- :Maximum :Minimum : from :2010 :2009 :Normal:week: two :four :April 1: Since : For : : : normal : : : : :weeks:weeks: :April 1:month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ironwood : 84 53 1,426 1,042 2.24 2.59 5.18 15.38 Marquette : 84 52 1,388 926 2.24 2.59 5.18 15.38 Stephenson : 85 53 1,634 1,208 0.57 1.31 3.98 15.57 Western UP : 86 46 2 1,435 999 1,195 1.77 2.14 4.99 15.11 12.77 3.69 : Cornell : 86 54 1,547 1,106 1.85 2.24 5.26 15.97 Sault St Marie : 85 52 1,435 936 0.31 0.52 1.29 9.21 Eastern UP : 87 50 4 1,399 938 1,016 0.93 1.41 4.30 14.04 12.01 3.53 : Beulah : 85 58 1,699 1,262 0.60 1.47 3.02 13.40 Lake City : 84 52 1,636 1,207 0.90 3.05 5.92 17.69 Old Mission : 86 56 1,630 1,161 0.43 1.72 2.01 12.62 Pellston : 86 49 1,564 1,094 0.20 0.47 1.25 12.69 Northwest : 86 49 2 1,591 1,144 1,358 0.47 1.49 2.57 12.94 11.38 3.11 : Alpena : 86 54 1,573 1,166 0.28 3.03 4.42 14.66 Houghton Lake : 83 53 1,707 1,209 1.12 3.28 5.31 14.43 Rogers City : 87 55 1,473 1,160 0.05 2.70 3.59 16.08 Northeast : 87 53 2 1,616 1,176 1,311 0.46 2.83 5.15 15.73 11.44 3.12 : Fremont : 83 56 1,853 1,379 0.03 0.82 2.14 9.53 Hart : 83 54 1,754 1,302 0.10 2.03 4.25 13.60 Muskegon : 85 60 1,984 1,485 0.02 2.03 3.53 13.01 West Central : 85 53 1 1,831 1,370 1,490 0.13 1.70 3.35 12.38 11.40 3.60 : Alma : 86 55 1,914 1,429 0.03 0.63 2.55 16.75 Big Rapids : 86 55 1,798 1,314 0.19 0.91 2.01 14.92 Central : 86 54 1 1,851 1,364 1,558 0.15 0.92 2.19 13.50 12.30 3.64 : Bad Axe : 86 59 1,789 1,294 0.15 1.59 4.40 17.01 Pigeon : 85 57 1,774 1,286 0.21 1.24 3.62 13.20 Saginaw : 86 58 2,006 1,442 0.25 1.16 2.27 12.33 Standish : 85 53 1,730 1,286 0.45 2.16 4.77 17.78 East Central : 87 53 1 1,791 1,325 1,543 0.25 1.42 3.36 14.71 11.23 2.93 : Fennville : 85 56 1,884 1,449 0.02 3.90 6.40 22.13 Grand Rapids : 86 60 2,095 1,610 0.02 2.30 4.26 20.43 Holland : 88 58 2,069 1,694 0.01 3.38 10.24 27.57 South Bend, IN : 91 60 2,127 1,750 0.31 3.48 4.34 19.06 Watervliet : 86 58 2,020 1,576 0.16 3.02 4.25 17.48 Southwest : 91 55 1 2,014 1,594 1,678 0.10 3.01 4.81 19.36 13.15 3.18 : Belding : 85 53 1,857 1,386 0.00 0.94 2.02 14.84 Coldwater : 86 57 2,069 1,640 0.42 2.77 3.24 16.09 Lansing : 86 57 2,035 1,520 0.01 1.48 1.99 13.50 South Central : 89 53 0 1,956 1,507 1,664 0.12 2.09 4.02 17.02 12.95 3.36 : Detroit : 91 63 2,188 1,717 0.47 4.22 5.95 18.61 Flint : 88 54 2,018 1,483 0.00 0.29 2.49 13.13 Romeo : 89 58 1,931 1,479 0.35 0.77 2.45 12.96 Tipton : 89 59 1,992 1,557 0.20 4.31 4.91 20.00 Toledo, OH : 92 59 2,215 1,751 0.82 4.30 5.02 18.71 Southeast : 92 54 1 2,026 1,603 1,642 0.36 2.45 4.18 17.39 12.60 3.12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Issued by the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Michigan State University 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.