sc-crop-weather State South Carolina Crop Weather Release Date, Week Ending Date Week Ending September 4, 2005 Issue SC-CW1428 Agricultural Summary Warm, dry conditions were experienced most of the week. A cold front moved in on the weekend bringing cooler temperatures and less humidity that signaled the beginning of fall. Crops remained in mostly good condition with some areas needing precipitation to relieve crop stress. Dry weather left plenty of time for field activities. There were no significant insect or disease problems to report. Cooler temperatures helped improve livestock condition. Soil moisture was 2% very short, 19% short, 77% adequate and 2% surplus. There were 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork. Field Crops Condition CORN remained in mostly good condition. Harvest was progressing at a rapid pace with 97 percent of the crop matured and 45 percent harvested. Yield reports have been excellent. Early planted SOYBEANS have really started to turn color and leaves have began to drop. Soybean Rust continued to be monitored in test plots and producers have been busy scouting and forming game plans to combat this aggressive disease. Dry conditions should prove beneficial in keeping Rust under control. COTTON squaring was completed with 95 percent of the bolls set and 27 percent open. Cotton producers continued monitoring for stinkbug pests. SORGHUM harvest was in full swing as 54 percent was mature and 24 percent was harvested last week. PEANUTS continued in good condition. Producers were busy gearing up for harvest and monitoring for late leaf spot. There was an excellent turnout for the peanut session at the Edisto Fall Field Day last week. TOBACCO harvest was starting to wind down with 94 percent of the crop harvested and 46 percent of the stalks destroyed at week's end. Fruits, Vegetables and Specialty Crops Report WATERMELON harvest wrapped up last week. PEACHES were 91 percent harvested by week's end. APPLE condition remained fair to mostly good with 24 percent of the crop harvested. Livestock, Pastures and Small Grains Report LIVESTOCK condition was mostly good as animals benefitted from cooler temperatures. PASTURE condition was fair to mostly good. HAY harvesting was nearly completed as 99 percent was harvested, slightly above the five year average. WINTER GRAZINGS continued to be seeded. Crop Progress Table ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 Yr : 5 Yr Crop Phase 2005 2004 Avg :Crop Phase 2005 2004 Avg ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --Percent-- --Percent-- Apples Harvested 24 31 27 :Sorghum Harvested 24 24 25 Corn Matured 97 97 98 :Soybeans Bloomed 98 98 95 Corn Harvested 45 58 59 :Soybeans Pods Set 82 84 74 Cotton Squared 100 100 100 :Soybeans Turning Color 11 15 13 Cotton Bolls Set 95 98 97 :Soybeans Leaves Dropped 1 2 2 Cotton Open Bolls 27 32 28 :Sweetpotato Harvested 7 3 8 Other Hay Harvested 99 98 96 :Tobacco Harvested 94 92 90 Peaches Harvested 91 92 96 :Tobacco Stalks Dest. 46 51 48 Peanuts Pegged 100 99 99 :Watermelons Harvested 100 100 100 Sorghum Turned Color 85 88 87 :Winter Grz. Planted 7 10 8 Sorghum Matured 54 58 55 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Crop Condition Table ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Very Excel- Very Excel- Crop Poor Poor Fair Good lent :Crop Poor Poor Fair Good lent ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Percent -- -- Percent-- Apples 0 13 25 62 0 :Peanuts 0 0 11 72 17 Corn 0 1 16 61 22 :Sorghum 0 1 2 96 1 Cotton 0 4 16 73 7 :Soybeans 0 3 19 64 14 Livestock 0 0 16 79 5 :Sweetpotato 0 0 45 55 0 Pastures 0 2 27 58 13 : ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending September 4, 2005 Late summer hot weather was observed through the week with only isolated thundershowers. Temperatures peaked on Wednesday climbing into the mid-90’s. On Saturday a cold front dropped southeastward bringing cooler conditions under a drier airmass. Sunny skies, lower humidity and northeast winds during the day on Sunday hinted at the coming change of seasons. For the period the state average temperature was two degrees above normal. The highest official temperature reported was 95 degrees at Myrtle Beach and Darlington on August 31. The lowest official temperature reported was 57 degrees at Caesars Head on the morning of September 4. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.43 inches at Caesars Head on August 30. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.2 inches. SOIL: 4-inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 79 degrees. RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were below normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 77 degrees. Precipitation Weekly Jan 1 Deviation Total Total From Avg Greer 0.30 40.3 5.0 Columbia 0.15 36.6 0.7 Orangeburg 0.05 30.6 -4.8 Charlotte, NC 0.08 28.6 -1.4 Augusta, GA 0.35 37.6 5.0 Florence 0.02 33.1 0.5 Myrtle Beach 0.00 21.5 -9.8 Charleston 0.00 33.2 -4.3 Savannah, GA 0.72 33.1 -3.9 Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday. Contact Information: Robert A. Graham, Director Jim Johnson, Agricultural Statistician Phone: 803-765-5333 E-mail: nass-sc@nass.usda.gov Website: http://www.nass.usda.gov/sc