mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released May 2, 2011 Week Ending Date May 1, 2011 Issue MI-CW1811 Agricultural Summary Another, Very Wet Week One day was suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 1, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation ranged from 1.18 inches to 1.73 inches in the Upper Peninsula and 1.96 to 2.58 inches in the Lower Peninsula. Temperatures ranged from 1 degree below normal to 1 degree above normal in the Upper Peninsula and from normal to 2 degrees above normal in the Lower Peninsula. Stormy and wet weather, kept field activities at a standstill again this week. "If April showers bring May flowers, we will have a lot of them," stated one reporter in southwest Lower Peninsula. Some drying took place Saturday and Sunday, but many saturated fields will need more consecutive drying days to be ready to be worked. Field Crops Report Field Crops Rain and cooler weather continued to delay field crop growers. Saturated soil and flooded areas kept farmers out of fields and progress to a minimum. Mid- Michigan is about 5-6 days behind normal GDD accumulation since March 1 according to Michigan State Extension. Powdery mildew was found on wheat. There will probably be some losses in wheat planted on heavier ground due to ponding. "Wheat on well drained soil looks good, as does alfalfa, although growth has been slow due to cool weather," said one reporter from Lapeer County. Sugarbeet acreage planted before the rain a few weeks ago looks good. Rye was also coming in nicely. Early planted oats have yet to emerge. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit The shortage of growing degree days has curtailed tree and small fruit development. Phenological stages in east Michigan were about ten days behind normal. There has been only slight insect activity, but extremely wet conditions have fostered diseases. Growers pruned during the week, but they will have to wait for soils to dry before doing much new planting. Some winter damage was found in blueberry fields in the Ottawa-Allegan County area and in vinifera grape vineyards in the southwest. There have, however, been no significant spring freezes. Apples were at green tip in the north and from quarter-inch to half inch in the south. Grapes were at scale crack in the northwest and early swell in the southwest. Tart and sweet cherries ranged from early side green to bud burst. Blueberries were at bud burst. Peaches were at bud burst to pink calyx. Strawberries had new leaves emerging from the crown. Vegetables Wet weather was again prominent this week, delaying the planting of vegetable crops. Warm, dry weather is needed to dry soils. Asparagus spears have begun to appear, but harvest is still a week or two away. Carrot planting is progressing slowly. There were also reports of cabbage and sweet corn plantings this past week. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 05/01/11 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 0 0 21 79 Subsoil : 0 1 31 68 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 05/01/11 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Pasture : 5 12 31 46 6 Winter Wheat : 2 4 24 52 18 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 05/01/11 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Barley, planted : 3 2 71 38 Barley, emerged : 1 1 37 14 Oats, planted : 17 14 89 71 Oats, emerged : 5 2 61 33 Sugarbeets, planted : 17 13 100 89 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 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 05/01/11 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : :Cumulative growing: : Temperature : degree days 2/ : Precipitation :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : : : : : Normal Station : : :Departure: : : :This:Last :Last : Since :------------- :Maximum :Minimum : from :2011 :2010 :Normal:week: two :four :April 1: Since : For : : : normal : : : : :weeks:weeks: :April 1:month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ironwood : 64 27 57 160 1.21 1.71 3.19 3.61 Marquette : 64 29 54 149 1.78 2.31 4.00 4.54 Stephenson : 63 28 68 193 1.78 2.44 4.25 4.48 Western UP : 66 22 -1 56 164 81 1.18 1.60 3.15 3.53 2.43 3.37 : Cornell : 63 31 42 170 1.64 2.18 4.03 4.34 Sault St Marie : 63 31 42 152 2.69 3.12 4.99 5.53 Eastern UP : 63 30 1 43 150 41 1.73 2.27 4.26 4.67 2.56 3.01 : Beulah : 68 34 89 200 2.03 3.33 6.69 7.06 Lake City : 63 33 81 193 2.31 3.26 5.47 6.18 Old Mission : 64 32 73 204 1.93 2.59 4.04 4.42 Pellston : 68 26 81 196 2.27 3.35 5.10 5.42 Northwest : 68 26 0 76 190 102 2.03 2.89 4.81 5.17 2.80 2.61 : Alpena : 77 28 67 178 2.91 4.23 6.18 6.62 Houghton Lake : 71 34 95 210 2.54 3.85 5.50 6.22 Rogers City : 76 30 42 166 1.04 2.21 4.23 4.60 Northeast : 77 28 1 73 194 92 2.38 3.69 5.47 6.14 2.65 2.76 : Fremont : 64 35 102 232 2.04 3.29 4.43 5.20 Hart : 65 35 92 205 1.74 2.82 3.70 4.23 Muskegon : 67 37 103 227 1.93 3.65 4.37 5.29 West Central : 67 29 0 96 217 125 2.00 3.23 4.21 4.89 3.28 2.67 : Alma : 67 36 90 227 2.61 4.19 4.59 5.79 Big Rapids : 63 34 79 227 3.52 5.77 8.72 8.72 Central : 68 34 1 91 229 140 2.46 3.94 5.13 5.69 3.23 2.79 : Bad Axe : 72 35 95 216 2.27 4.41 5.60 7.05 Pigeon : 71 34 99 221 2.09 3.74 5.45 5.86 Saginaw : 73 38 116 246 2.54 4.43 4.82 6.37 Standish : 73 33 92 222 3.31 4.87 5.65 7.13 East Central : 73 33 2 95 223 133 2.50 4.27 5.31 6.33 2.66 2.63 : Fennville : 67 36 113 260 2.34 4.08 5.29 5.50 Grand Rapids : 67 37 131 283 3.11 5.70 6.61 7.28 Holland : 67 38 160 284 2.56 4.30 5.34 5.82 South Bend, IN : 69 37 163 293 3.27 4.78 7.12 7.45 Watervliet : 67 37 126 272 2.52 4.41 5.86 6.09 Southwest : 70 34 0 129 274 158 2.58 4.44 5.75 6.09 3.52 3.01 : Belding : 66 35 106 244 2.97 5.40 6.32 6.71 Coldwater : 72 35 132 279 1.42 3.13 4.84 4.94 Lansing : 72 35 120 269 1.78 4.28 5.39 5.60 South Central : 73 34 1 117 261 159 2.07 4.09 5.40 5.66 3.24 2.92 : Detroit : 74 38 142 289 2.06 4.25 6.11 6.26 Flint : 74 36 135 260 1.75 4.04 5.12 5.69 Romeo : 71 33 119 234 1.77 3.15 4.32 4.75 Tipton : 72 38 131 262 2.78 4.56 6.47 6.59 Toledo, OH : 73 36 128 291 1.94 3.59 4.91 5.15 Southeast : 74 32 2 130 269 147 1.96 3.72 5.08 5.32 3.27 2.85 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.