Dry Spell Allows for Planting in Ind.
Published: Friday, May 31, 2024
The following is from the Indiana Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending May 26.
A period of dry weather allowed for substantial planting progress throughout the state. Topsoil moisture levels remained stable, with 94% rated adequate or surplus.
The average temperature for the week was 71.2 degrees F, 6.5 degrees above normal.
The statewide average precipitation was .77 inches, .25 inches below normal.
There were 4.8 days suitable for fieldwork.
A drier, hot week gave Indiana farmers an opportunity to make good planting progress and harvest hay. However, some areas were still too wet to plant due to isolated heavy rainfall.
Corn planting overtook the five-year average, while the soybean crop continued ahead of the five-year average for both planting progress and emergence.
Winter wheat progress continued significantly ahead of the five-year average pace, and some producers reported that the crop may be harvested two to three weeks early this year.
Winter wheat condition remained stable, but producers were concerned about fungal disease due to rain near harvest.
First cuttings of hay progressed quickly, though the quality was mixed.
Other activities for the week included vegetable planting, mowing roadsides, and spraying herbicides and fungicides.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 1%; short, 5%; adequate, 70%; surplus, 24%.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 2%; short, 5%; adequate, 73%; surplus, 20%.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2023 and five-year average) showed: corn planted, 73, 54, 88, 71; corn emerged, 50, 30, 64, 49; soybeans planted, 69, 49, 83, 60; soybeans emerged, 45, 27, 56, 38; winter wheat jointing, 97, 94, 96, 92; winter wheat headed, 83, 65, 70, 60; alfalfa hay, first cutting, 33, 13, 46, 25; other hay, first cutting, 25, 10, 36, 22.
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