Farmers Make Good Progress, Between Raindrops
Published: Friday, May 18, 2018
The following is from the Michigan Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending May 13.
Warm, dry weather at the beginning of the week allowed producers to make good planting progress.
As the week came to an end, saturated soils due to wide spread precipitation halted progress for many producers.
Corn, soybean and oat planting continued in between rain showers. The rains were helpful to those who were able to complete some planting earlier in the week.
Barley continued to make steady progress and sugarbeet planting was almost complete.
Winter wheat condition decreased slightly as the wet conditions negatively affected the crop in some areas. Some producers were able to make herbicide applications on their wheat.
Other activities during the week included spreading manure, fertilizing and spring tillage.
There were 3.5 days suitable for fieldwork.
Fruit
Recent rains and warming temperatures helped many areas catch up in growing degree-days and pushed fruit crop development very quickly. Growers in the Northwest were finishing pruning, removing brush, and applying dormant apple sprays.
Apricots ranged from full bloom in the West Central region to fruit in the shuck in the Southwest.
Peaches, sweet cherries and tart cherries were finishing bloom in southernmost counties, beginning bloom in central counties, and were at bud burst to early bloom in the Northwest.
Japanese plums ranged from full bloom to petal fall while European plums ranged from first white to full bloom. In the Southwest and East, pears ranged from tight cluster to early bloom while apples were at first bloom in early varieties and at first pink in later varieties.
Juice grapes in the Southwest were past bud burst while wine grapes in the Northwest ranged from early to late bud swell. Blueberries ranged from tight cluster in late blooming varieties to pink bud for early varieties.
Strawberry flower trusses have emerged from the crown and bloom has begun in the Southwest.
Vegetables
Squash and pumpkin seedings were beginning to emerge in the Eastern region. Green bean planting continued as early seeded beans were emerging.
Tomato and cole crop planting was ongoing in the Southeast. Carrot planting in the West Central region was progressing as weather allowed.
Asparagus harvest was underway in the Southwest. Asparagus beetle was causing problems in some fields and had to be controlled with insecticides.
Early planted sweet corn was emerging as planting continued for later harvests. Hops were making good progress with some yards showing growth around 2 feet tall.
Potato planting was ongoing in most major growing regions as weather permitted.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 0 percent; short, 3 percent; adequate, 59 percent; surplus, 38 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 0 percent; short, 4 percent; adequate, 64 percent; surplus, 32 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2017 and 5-year average) showed: corn, planted 34, 14, 27, 37; corn, emerged 6, 0, 2, 8; soybeans, planted 18, 6, 10, 18; soybeans, emerged 2, NA, 0, 2; winter wheat, jointing 38, 25, 56, 39; winter wheat, headed 1, 0, 0, 1; barley, planted 24, 11, NA, NA; barley, emerged 3, 0, NA, NA; oats, planted 52, 38, 62, 69; oats, emerged 20, 9, 21, 32; sugarbeets, planted 92, 80, 87, 85; sugarbeets, emerged 20, NA, 13, NA.
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