mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released August 9, 2010 Week Ending Date August 8, 2010 Issue MI-CW3210 Agricultural Summary Hot and Dry Six days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 8, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation ranged from 0.03 inches in the southeast Lower Peninsula to 0.75 inches in the western Upper Peninsula. Temperatures ranged from 3 to 5 degrees above normal in the Lower and Upper Peninsulas. Producers were in need of rain after another week of high humidity and heat. Hot conditions caused some concern of increased disease problems in vegetable crops. "Sunshine and plenty of heat has created a deficit in moisture, and heat stress is now apparent in some fields," stated one reporter in the west central Lower Peninsula. Dry conditions did advance fieldwork and harvest. Field Crops Report Field Crops With another hot dry week, field crops have taken a downward turn in quality. Sunshine and heat created a moisture deficiency across much of the state. One reporter indicated that no permanent damage had occurred yet stating, "field crops in general look good and one more good rain would probably carry them through to harvest." However, the warm temperatures mixed with no precipitation had many on the lookout for disease and downy mildew problems, as well as lower yield potential. "A good soaking rain is needed," stated a reporter from mid Michigan. Corn was starting to curl as it continues through dough and dent stages. Sudden Death Syndrome was reported in soybeans in southwest counties. Some were still spraying fields for Japanese Beetles and other pests. Farmers were able to get in another cutting of alfalfa; however, without more rain the chances of another good cutting look minimal. Oat harvest was nearing completion. Sugarbeets continued to be well ahead of normal pace. Growers expect to start harvest early this year because the crop has been ahead of schedule. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Growing degree days and beginning of harvest were about 12 to 14 days ahead of normal. Soils around the state remain dry. The heat has affected fruit set in vine crops. Apples continued to size well where there has been rainfall or irrigation; and growth has stalled where moisture supplies have not been adequate. Japanese beetle numbers have increased in the southeast. Peaches were between 3 and 3.25 inches in the southeast; harvest of the Red Haven variety has begun. European plums continued to color and remained at 2 inches in length and 1.5 inches in diameter in the southeast. Early varieties continued to be harvested in the southwest. Strawberry growth remained variable due to the amount of rain. Pears remained at about 2.25 inches in diameter with very little growth in unirrigated blocks in the southeast. Harvest of blueberries continued. Bird feeding continued to be a problem in the southeast. Grapes are not at veraison yet in the southeast. Japanese beetles have begun feeding in grape clusters and on leaves. Summer raspberry harvest continued in the southwest; and harvest of early maturing fall varieties have started in the southeast. Vegetables Warm weather and humidity continued and has increased disease problems. Growers continued spraying for foliar and bacterial diseases. Onion and winter squash harvest began in the Grand Rapids area, while harvest of cabbage, yellow squash, celery, zucchini for fresh and processing, cucumbers for pickles, sweet corn, potatoes, snap beans, peppers, watermelon, tomato, and eggplant continued. Quality was good in tomato fields, aside from the presence of blossom end rot on early fruit. Broccoli and cauliflower continued progressing. Some sweet corn fields were disked down after harvest. Vine crops, such as pumpkins and fall squash, continued sizing. Pumpkins were beginning to show color in the Macomb County area. Watermelons and muskemelons, in Macomb County, were producing excellent fruit. However, powdery mildew was evident. On muck soils, carrots, radishes, lettuce, beets, turnips, parsnips, and leeks were growing well. Potatoes were blooming in the southeast. The numbers of insects caught in traps have increased. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 08/08/10 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 17 36 45 2 Subsoil : 13 33 52 2 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 08/08/10 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 1 4 24 44 27 Barley : 0 4 33 44 19 Corn : 2 7 17 38 36 Dry beans : 4 17 25 33 21 Pasture : 2 8 29 42 19 Soybeans : 2 6 21 44 27 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 08/08/10 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All hay, second cutting : 83 71 69 80 All hay, third cutting : 29 20 16 24 Apples, harvested : 4 NA 3 0 Barley, harvested : 68 28 NA NA Blueberries, harvested : 80 66 63 58 Corn, silked : 97 94 68 89 Corn, dough : 50 32 4 24 Corn, dent : 8 2 0 2 Dry beans, blooming : 94 81 52 80 Dry beans, setting pods : 65 36 12 51 Oats, harvested : 86 62 24 51 Peaches, harvested : 47 23 22 31 Potatoes, harvested : 2 1 9 8 Soybeans, blooming : 92 89 80 90 Soybeans, setting pods : 71 52 30 64 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 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 08/08/10 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 : 89 47 1,559 1,130 0.70 2.94 4.23 16.08 Marquette : 90 46 1,518 1,016 0.70 2.94 4.23 16.08 Stephenson : 92 52 1,789 1,313 1.75 2.32 3.90 17.32 Western UP : 92 40 3 1,568 1,088 1,305 0.75 2.51 3.84 15.85 13.80 3.69 : Cornell : 88 50 1,696 1,202 0.23 2.09 3.40 16.21 Sault St Marie : 85 45 1,572 1,007 1.32 1.63 2.32 10.53 Eastern UP : 90 45 5 1,536 1,021 1,122 0.59 1.55 2.68 14.67 12.91 3.53 : Beulah : 84 54 1,859 1,370 0.86 1.46 3.36 14.26 Lake City : 85 46 1,774 1,301 0.61 1.51 5.61 18.30 Old Mission : 88 53 1,786 1,254 0.71 1.14 2.55 13.33 Pellston : 83 42 1,703 1,180 0.77 0.97 1.41 13.46 Northwest : 88 42 4 1,738 1,237 1,479 0.61 1.07 2.74 13.54 12.07 3.11 : Alpena : 89 44 1,723 1,263 0.17 0.45 3.45 14.83 Houghton Lake : 87 45 1,860 1,311 0.38 1.50 3.95 14.81 Rogers City : 84 48 1,616 1,250 1.19 1.24 3.98 17.27 Northeast : 89 44 3 1,763 1,270 1,431 0.51 0.97 4.12 16.24 12.16 3.12 : Fremont : 86 55 2,009 1,494 0.41 0.44 2.13 9.94 Hart : 85 55 1,910 1,417 0.34 0.44 3.67 13.94 Muskegon : 85 61 2,163 1,620 0.01 0.03 3.13 13.02 West Central : 86 51 5 1,994 1,489 1,619 0.23 0.36 3.08 12.61 12.18 3.60 : Alma : 90 53 2,077 1,547 0.14 0.17 1.52 16.89 Big Rapids : 88 52 1,939 1,420 0.15 0.28 1.70 15.48 Central : 90 51 3 2,004 1,475 1,688 0.38 0.51 1.81 13.98 13.17 3.64 : Bad Axe : 87 52 1,946 1,408 0.10 0.25 4.39 17.11 Pigeon : 86 48 1,929 1,388 0.24 0.45 3.82 13.44 Saginaw : 88 52 2,177 1,567 0.10 0.35 1.55 12.43 Standish : 88 48 1,887 1,390 0.27 0.66 4.63 17.99 East Central : 88 48 4 1,950 1,435 1,673 0.15 0.39 3.16 14.86 12.02 2.93 : Fennville : 85 59 2,050 1,572 0.05 0.07 5.06 22.18 Grand Rapids : 88 58 2,277 1,750 0.00 0.02 2.73 20.43 Holland : 88 60 2,246 1,840 0.26 0.26 7.33 27.82 South Bend, IN : 85 61 2,299 1,892 0.38 0.69 4.21 19.44 Watervliet : 86 59 2,190 1,711 0.33 0.49 3.98 17.81 Southwest : 88 56 3 2,183 1,728 1,819 0.31 0.41 4.20 19.67 13.92 3.18 : Belding : 86 53 2,016 1,500 0.29 0.29 1.51 15.13 Coldwater : 84 57 2,228 1,771 0.25 0.67 3.04 16.34 Lansing : 87 53 2,210 1,650 0.01 0.02 1.54 13.51 South Central : 89 53 3 2,120 1,632 1,801 0.11 0.24 2.97 17.13 13.77 3.36 : Detroit : 89 59 2,373 1,865 0.00 0.47 5.39 18.61 Flint : 90 48 2,188 1,605 0.07 0.07 1.14 13.20 Romeo : 92 52 2,101 1,609 0.00 0.35 1.95 12.96 Tipton : 87 55 2,152 1,678 0.03 0.23 4.42 20.03 Toledo, OH : 89 57 2,391 1,903 0.04 0.86 4.52 18.75 Southeast : 92 46 3 2,194 1,737 1,784 0.03 0.39 3.37 17.42 13.31 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.