mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released August 16, 2010 Week Ending Date August 15, 2010 Issue MI-CW3310 Agricultural Summary Hot with Scattered Precipitation Six days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 15, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation ranged from 0.36 inches in the eastern Upper Peninsula to 1.47 inches in the central Lower Peninsula. Temperatures ranged from 9 to 10 degrees above normal in the Upper Peninsula and 7 to 10 degrees in the Lower Peninsula. Hot and humid weather was the norm again this past week. Hot temperatures continued all week, with some scattered rain. The few rain showers were welcomed this week as they helped some crops mature, but the moisture did not last with the above average temperatures. Activities for the week included preparing for fall harvest. "Weather was warm and muggy with just enough rain to keep crops damp. It was a difficult week for making hay or trying to make spray applications. Crops are all progressing well, and providing there are no major disease or insect problems, all should make it to maturity now regardless of rain or frost possibilities," stated one reporter in southeast Lower peninsula. Field Crops Report Field Crops Seasonal summer temperatures and high humidity were the major factors affecting field crops during the week. Fields across Michigan received needed rain showers early in the week. The evidence of moisture was short lived as the warm weather dried fields up quickly. One reporter indicated that while the precipitation was appreciated, it was "not enough to sustain crops". Corn maturity continued to progress. Some fields had indications of heat stress. Farmers made plans to begin silage harvest this next week. Soybeans were filling pods with no major disease or insect problems reported. Alfalfa seeding took place during the week. Many have been pleased with this year's overall quality of hay crop. Early dry bean harvest started in Montcalm County and was expected to start soon in other areas. Most of the plants were still drying down. Barley and oat harvest neared completion. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Soils were moist in the Grand Rapids area, but soils remained dry around the rest of the state. Apples ranged from 57 to 69 mm in the northwest; harvest of Zestar apples has begun in the southwest, southeast and west central regions. Growers are concerned about obtaining good color with the warm nighttime temperatures in the northwest and Grand Rapids regions. European red mite numbers were building in the southwest and west central regions. Peach harvest continued around the state. European plums ranged from 32 mm in the northwest to 2 inches in length and 1.75 inches in diameter in the southeast. Harvest continued in the southwest and has started in the Grand Rapids and west central regions. Growth continued to be poor for strawberries due to lack of rain and potato leafhoppers. Pears ranged from 32 mm in the northwest to 2.5 inches in diameter in the southeast. Pear psylla nymph numbers were increasing in the southwest. Harvest of blueberries continued. Many growers in the southwest were near completion. High temperatures decreased quality in the west central. Grapes ranged from having green fruit in the northwest to veraison in the southeast and southwest regions. Downy mildew infections continued to be seen in the southwest, southeast, and northwest regions. Harvest of summer raspberry continued in the southwest and southeast regions. Vegetables Disease problems have remained high due to continued warm weather and humidity. Harvesting continued across the state. In the southwest, it appears to be about two-weeks ahead of normal. In the Grand Rapids area, harvest began for radishes and lettuce. Other crops being harvested include, onions, winter squash, cabbage, yellow squash, celery, zucchini for fresh and processing, cucumbers for pickles, sweet corn, potatoes, snap beans, peppers, watermelon, tomatoes for fresh and processing, and eggplant. Quality was good in tomato fields, aside from mites and other various foliar diseases. Eggplant looked good but has some verticillium present in the Grand Rapids area. Broccoli and cauliflower continued progressing, however, it has been a tough summer for these crops due to warmer temperatures. Insect activity has been heavy. Vine crops, such as pumpkins and fall squash, continued sizing. Pumpkins were beginning to ripen. Melons looked good, however cucumber beetles, Phytopythora and powdery mildew symptoms were evident. Cucumber growers were struggling with downy mildew and were following downy mildew control guidelines. In the Macomb county area, growers observed browning foliage from spider mite activity, but only in isolated areas. On muck soils, carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, and leeks were growing well. Potatoes were nearing harvest in the southeast, with growers applying pre-harvest herbicides. Asparagus ferns look good, however disease pressure has been very high due to high temperatures and heavy dew. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 08/15/10 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 12 29 55 4 Subsoil : 12 31 54 3 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 08/15/10 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 1 4 17 52 26 Barley : 0 13 30 43 14 Corn : 1 5 18 44 32 Dry beans : 4 13 28 37 18 Pasture : 3 6 25 45 21 Soybeans : 1 4 20 48 27 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 08/15/10 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All hay, second cutting : 87 83 77 86 All hay, third cutting : 41 29 23 34 Apples, harvested : 6 4 4 1 Barley, harvested : 85 68 NA NA Blueberries, harvested : 88 80 73 72 Corn, dough : 76 50 19 51 Corn, dent : 27 8 0 8 Corn, mature : 1 0 0 NA Dry beans, blooming : 95 94 76 92 Dry beans, setting pods : 86 65 25 74 Oats, harvested : 94 86 36 70 Peaches, harvested : 50 47 28 39 Potatoes, harvested : 4 2 12 12 Soybeans, blooming : 95 92 85 96 Soybeans, setting pods : 87 71 53 80 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 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 08/15/10 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 : 86 60 1,724 1,278 1.15 1.85 4.44 17.23 Marquette : 86 61 1,688 1,158 1.15 1.85 4.44 17.23 Stephenson : 94 61 1,964 1,465 0.09 1.84 3.15 17.41 Western UP : 94 54 9 1,732 1,229 1,409 1.10 1.84 3.97 16.95 14.35 3.69 : Cornell : 89 63 1,877 1,338 0.28 0.61 2.86 16.59 Sault St Marie : 85 59 1,745 1,144 0.53 1.85 2.37 11.06 Eastern UP : 89 57 10 1,704 1,155 1,221 0.36 0.93 2.37 15.01 13.53 3.53 : Beulah : 88 65 2,042 1,521 0.01 0.87 2.34 14.27 Lake City : 89 60 1,943 1,439 0.14 0.75 3.80 18.44 Old Mission : 89 64 1,965 1,401 0.53 1.24 2.96 13.86 Pellston : 88 59 1,872 1,318 1.29 2.06 2.53 14.75 Northwest : 89 59 10 1,913 1,378 1,592 0.40 1.06 2.55 13.99 12.71 3.11 : Alpena : 88 62 1,900 1,415 0.98 1.15 4.18 15.81 Houghton Lake : 87 61 2,038 1,453 0.39 0.77 4.05 15.20 Rogers City : 88 65 1,789 1,399 0.95 2.14 4.84 18.22 Northeast : 89 61 10 1,941 1,417 1,543 0.71 1.22 4.05 16.95 12.81 3.12 : Fremont : 93 64 2,192 1,647 0.26 0.67 1.49 10.20 Hart : 89 65 2,095 1,564 0.64 0.98 3.01 14.58 Muskegon : 90 68 2,367 1,785 0.86 0.87 2.90 13.88 West Central : 93 64 10 2,183 1,640 1,741 0.66 0.90 2.60 13.28 12.82 3.60 : Alma : 87 67 2,263 1,707 2.42 2.56 3.19 19.31 Big Rapids : 88 65 2,119 1,570 1.40 1.55 2.51 16.88 Central : 91 64 8 2,185 1,630 1,812 1.47 1.85 2.77 15.44 13.79 3.64 : Bad Axe : 88 66 2,131 1,561 0.19 0.29 1.88 17.30 Pigeon : 88 64 2,111 1,539 0.34 0.58 1.82 13.78 Saginaw : 88 66 2,366 1,733 1.72 1.82 2.98 14.15 Standish : 87 64 2,067 1,537 1.47 1.74 3.84 19.46 East Central : 88 64 8 2,131 1,590 1,799 1.09 1.24 2.65 15.95 12.58 2.93 : Fennville : 91 65 2,238 1,727 1.23 1.28 5.18 23.41 Grand Rapids : 89 67 2,478 1,922 0.97 0.97 3.27 21.40 Holland : 91 67 2,436 2,005 0.68 1.18 4.55 28.74 South Bend, IN : 91 70 2,504 2,063 0.02 0.40 3.88 19.46 Watervliet : 90 67 2,384 1,875 0.83 1.16 4.18 18.64 Southwest : 92 54 8 2,376 1,891 1,955 0.76 1.10 4.11 20.46 14.47 3.18 : Belding : 89 64 2,197 1,659 0.58 0.87 1.81 15.71 Coldwater : 91 64 2,410 1,937 0.30 0.55 3.32 16.64 Lansing : 89 65 2,401 1,816 0.39 0.40 1.88 13.90 South Central : 91 63 7 2,305 1,793 1,933 0.70 0.84 2.93 17.86 14.38 3.36 : Detroit : 91 69 2,577 2,049 0.33 0.33 4.55 18.94 Flint : 93 64 2,373 1,767 0.24 0.31 0.60 13.44 Romeo : 91 64 2,282 1,772 0.10 0.13 0.90 13.09 Tipton : 89 64 2,340 1,831 0.69 0.72 5.03 20.72 Toledo, OH : 91 67 2,586 2,080 1.79 2.05 6.35 20.76 Southeast : 94 52 8 2,380 1,903 1,918 0.56 0.62 3.07 18.01 13.87 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.