Persistent Rains Limit Fieldwork
Published: Friday, July 23, 2021
The following is from the Michigan Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending July 18.
Persistent rains continued to fall across most of the state as growing conditions remained favorable. There were 3.9 days suitable for fieldwork.
Drought conditions decreased in most areas, with only 15 percent of the state in moderate to severe drought condition. The driest areas included the eastern half of the Upper Peninsula and the counties surrounding Saginaw Bay in the eastern central Lower Peninsula.
Corn condition continued to improve in areas where rainfall was prevalent. 74 percent of the crop was rated good to excellent. A reported 42 percent of the crop was entering the silking stage as pollination was starting significantly earlier than normal.
Soybean condition held steady with 64 percent of the crop rated good to excellent; near ideal growing conditions were reported in some areas, contributing to the rapid progress in setting pods.
Dry bean condition remained nearly unchanged as the crop has started to recover from water damage in previous weeks.
Winter wheat harvest showed swift progress with a reported 47 percent of the crop threshed thus far.
Hay producers continued second cuttings as conditions allowed.
Other activities included crop scouting, spraying and midseason equipment maintenance.
Fruit
Summer fruit harvest continued. Spotted wing Drosophilia (SWD) numbers increased last week.
Early season peach varieties like Desiree, EarlyStar and Harrow Diamond were ripe on some sites in the Southwest and were about 10 days from harvest in the Grand Rapids area. Mid-season and late season varieties were beginning final swell.
Tart cherry harvest began in the Northwest and was wrapping up in the Southwest. Fruit quality was excellent. Growers had been making regular ethephon applications with the anticipation of harvest in the coming days and weeks.
Apples continued to size well and were approximately 1.5 inches in the Grand Rapids area. Frost damage from freeze events in April began to show itself as frost rings, misshapen fruit and cracking or yellowing of the calyx end of the fruit.
Growers were very successful in controlling apple scab this season. There was little concern for fruit scab.
Blueberry harvest began to move from early season to early midseason varieties like Bluecrop in the Southwest. Fruit quality of blueberries harvested to date was excellent, yields were better than expected and few problems were reported by growers. Rainy weather favored anthracnose and alternaria.
Vegetables
Following a period of heavy and persistent precipitation, many vegetable crops throughout the state were displaying symptoms of disease and nutritional issues, particularly field tomatoes and peppers. Pest presence was detected in asparagus and eggplant fields.
The first significant harvests of sweet corn and snap beans were underway while harvest of garlic, sweet onions and cucumbers intensified.
Acorn squash and early pumpkins were setting fruit, and several crops were hitting the market, including cabbage, broccoli and carrots.
Forecast for potato late blight was at high risk in the South, but no late blight had been reported in Michigan to date.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 1 percent; short, 9 percent; adequate, 66 percent; surplus, 24 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 1 percent; short, 13 percent; adequate, 75 percent; surplus, 11 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2020 and 5-year average) showed: corn silking, 42, 4, 19, 21; soybeans blooming, 63, 37, 43, 43; soybeans setting pods, 28, 2, 6, 10; winter wheat mature, 92, 85, 72, 79; winter wheat harvested, 47, 12, 42, 39; barley headed, 80, 71, 43, NA; barley mature, 13, 9, NA, NA; dry edible beans blooming, 26, 5, NA, NA; dry beans setting pods, 4, 0, NA, NA; alfalfa hay, second cutting, 69, 55, 53, 48; alfalfa hay, third cutting, 2, 0, NA, NA; other hay, first cutting, 100, 95, 87, 82; other hay, second cutting, 30, 22, 28, 27; oats headed, 92, 89, 93, 89; oats mature, 23, 13, NA, NA.
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