Texas Crop Weather

Issue:  TX-CW2109
Released:  May 26, 2009
For the week of:  May 18 - 24, 2009

Cooperating Agencies:
   Texas AgriLife Extension Service,
   Texas Department of Agriculture,
   National Weather Service

Maps:
   Agricultural District Map

Agricultural Summary:  Showers swept through most of the state bringing up to 3 inches of rain.  Wheat continued to mature rapidly in the Low Plains.  Freeze damaged wheat and oats across the state were being baled for hay.  In the High Plains, cotton planting was in full swing.  Cotton was progressing well in the Blacklands.  Corn in the Blacklands and South Texas progressed well.  Sorghum planting continued in the Northern High Plains.  Cabbage, onion, green beans and potato harvest continued this past week in South Texas.  Nut case bearer spraying was active in the Cross Timbers and Edwards Plateau.  Supplemental feeding of livestock continued in parts of the state.  Range and pasture conditions improved across the state due to the recent rainfall.  Top soil moisture was mostly very short to adequate across the state.

Field Crops Report

Small Grains:  Producers continued to irrigate wheat in the Southern High Plains.  Wheat continued to mature rapidly in the Low Plains.  Freeze damaged wheat and oats across the state were being baled for hay.  In South Central Texas, irrigated wheat was progressing well.  Statewide, wheat condition was mostly very poor to poor and oat condition was mostly very poor to fair.

Cotton:  In the High Plains, planting was in full swing.  Planting continued on irrigated fields in the Low Plains while producers were in need of additional rainfall to begin planting on non-irrigated land.  Cotton was progressing well in the Blacklands.  Producers continued cotton planting in the Edwards Plateau.

Corn:  Corn was being irrigated in the Northern High Plains.  Corn in the Blacklands and South Texas progressed well.  Corn was in need of moisture in the Upper Coast.  Corn condition was mostly fair to good statewide.

Sorghum:  Sorghum planting continued in the Northern High Plains, however, dry conditions have slowed progress.  Sorghum progressed well in the Blacklands.  Irrigated sorghum in South Texas progressed well.  Sorghum condition was mostly fair to good statewide.

Peanuts:  Peanut condition was mostly good to excellent statewide.

Rice:  Rice condition was mostly fair to good statewide.

Soybeans:  Soybean condition was mostly fair to good statewide.

Fruit, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Report

Producers were preparing to plant pumpkins in the Northern High Plains.  Peach harvest has begun in North East Texas.  Cabbage, onion, green beans and potato harvest continued this past week in South Texas.  Watermelon harvest continued in the Lower Valley.

Pecan:  Nut case bearer spraying was active in the Cross Timbers and Edwards Plateau.  Pecans progressed well in the Blacklands.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report

Supplemental feeding of livestock continued in parts of the state.  Mosquitoes on cattle were increasing in the Cross Timbers.  Spring calving was active in South East Texas.  In some areas of the Edwards Plateau, ranchers completed shearing and marking of lambs and goats.  Range and pasture conditions improved across the state due to the recent rainfall, however, further moisture was needed for very dry parts of the state.  Range and pasture condition was mostly fair to good statewide.