mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released May 7, 2007 Week Ending Date May 6, 2007 Issue MI-CW1807 Agricultural Summary Drier Conditions Five days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 6, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation amounts ranged from none in the eastern Upper Peninsula to 1.12 inches in the west central Lower Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 1 degree below normal in the east central Lower Peninsula to 4 degrees above normal in the western Upper Peninsula and in the west central and southwest Lower Peninsula. The drier weather allowed for farmers to make progress on their field activities. A farmer in the Upper Peninsula mentioned that, "Pastures have greened up and growth is about a week ahead of normal." Another farmer in the east central said that, "Some growers were probably working on soils that were a little wet, but a lot got planted. Winds were too high to attempt any spraying." Field Crops Report Field Crops Scattered rain showers slowed field activities as planting progressed across the State. Corn planting continued as top priority on select dry fields. Soybean planting continued on a limited basis. Oat planting neared completion. Winter wheat crops continued to progress well in most fields, but farmers considered converting some poor fields to another crop. Alfalfa growth looked very good. Sugarbeet planting continued with some emergence from early plantings. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit A few warm days and precipitation last week stimulated fruit crop development. Apples were blooming in the southwest and southeast. In the central areas, apples were at early pink to open cluster. Apples were at tight cluster in the northwest. Weather conditions provided for a heavy apple scab infection period. Blueberries ranged from half-inch green to pink. Reporters indicated a heavy set of fruit buds in the southwest. Peaches were blooming. Pear development ranged from bloom to petal fall. Plums were beginning to bloom in the northwest and were in the shuck in the southwest. Sweet and tart cherries ranged from bud burst in the northwest to petal fall in the south. Grape growers were finishing pruning for the year. Chardonnay grapes in the northwest were at early bud swell. In the southeast and southwest, Concord grapes were at bud burst. Vinifera grapes were at late swell in the southwest, where a heavy flight of grape berry moth was observed. Vegetables Precipitation early in the week hindered field activities as vegetable growers continued to plant a variety of crops throughout the State. Carrot planting continued where weather permitted. Rapid germination of carrot seeds made it difficult to apply pre-emergent herbicides. Asparagus harvest began on a limited basis. Celery planting continued on schedule. Early planted cabbage was getting established. Potato planting continued. Sweet corn planting continued. In the southwest, tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, and cucumbers were planted in low tunnels. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 05/06/07 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 2 4 75 19 Subsoil : 1 6 77 16 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 05/06/07 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Pasture : 4 4 27 47 18 Winter Wheat : 1 5 26 50 18 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 05/06/07 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Asparagus, harvested : 5 0 24 13 Barley, planted : 39 18 67 55 Barley, emerged : 9 0 33 26 Corn, planted : 31 9 58 42 Corn, emerged : 1 0 5 3 Oats, planted : 71 57 86 79 Oats, emerged : 30 13 63 47 Potatoes, planted : 25 21 40 28 Potatoes, emerged : 2 0 3 NA Soybeans, planted : 7 2 23 15 Sugarbeets, planted : 88 75 95 95 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Contact Information U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Michigan Field Office P.O. Box 26248 Lansing, MI 48909-6248 517-324-5300; or 800-453-7501 Fax 517-324-5299 email: nass-mi@nass.usda.gov Web Page: http:/www.nass.usda.gov/mi Weather Information Table Michigan Weather Summary for Week Ending 05/06/07 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : :Cumulative growing: : Temperature : degree days 2/ : Precipitation :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : : : : : Normal Station : : :Departure: : : :This:Last :Last : Since :------------- :Maximum :Minimum : from :2007 :2006 :Normal:week: two :four :April 1: Since : For : : : normal : : : : :weeks:weeks: :April 1:month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ironwood : 72 39 153 189 0.01 0.05 0.64 2.22 Marquette : 70 29 119 153 0.02 0.10 1.67 5.04 Stephenson : 68 33 155 203 0.01 0.09 0.42 1.52 Western UP : 72 29 4 139 157 107 0.01 0.05 0.64 2.04 2.87 3.37 : Cornell : 65 32 141 184 0.00 0.43 0.74 1.12 Sault St Marie : 66 33 126 135 0.00 0.28 0.56 1.61 Eastern UP : 69 26 3 121 159 57 0.00 0.33 1.02 2.80 3.07 3.01 : Beulah : 75 37 164 229 0.29 1.31 2.29 2.95 Lake City : 67 32 136 207 0.24 1.28 2.04 3.33 Old Mission : 72 33 135 195 0.14 0.73 1.07 1.45 Pellston : 71 24 158 190 0.00 0.52 0.81 1.38 Northwest : 75 24 2 142 195 133 0.18 0.97 1.49 2.21 3.24 2.61 : Alpena : 64 28 134 170 0.25 1.72 2.65 3.81 Houghton Lake : 67 32 151 213 0.10 1.60 2.09 3.14 Rogers City : 66 29 142 169 0.08 1.23 1.89 2.87 Northeast : 69 23 1 147 198 120 0.10 1.32 2.09 3.18 3.15 2.76 : Fremont : 70 40 177 228 1.13 2.19 2.78 5.61 Hart : 71 40 169 210 1.11 2.10 2.42 3.63 Muskegon : 73 42 173 210 0.74 1.63 2.46 4.37 West Central : 74 33 4 173 224 162 1.12 2.01 5.76 7.65 3.66 2.67 : Alma : 73 40 188 263 1.20 2.06 2.36 3.81 Big Rapids : 72 37 164 251 0.99 1.29 2.07 2.87 Central : 73 37 2 173 250 179 1.02 1.59 2.12 3.48 3.69 2.79 : Bad Axe : 67 37 135 207 0.03 0.92 1.85 2.89 Pigeon : 69 37 132 207 0.11 1.04 1.92 2.87 Saginaw : 70 39 171 224 0.42 1.23 2.21 3.44 Standish : 67 32 159 232 0.21 1.32 2.55 3.79 East Central : 71 32 -1 143 223 170 0.33 1.21 2.12 3.29 3.08 2.63 : Fennville : 76 44 188 222 0.37 2.18 3.04 4.31 Grand Rapids : 72 42 196 248 0.88 1.89 2.62 4.25 Holland : 75 40 224 243 0.50 2.62 3.37 4.91 South Bend, IN : 85 48 252 275 0.03 3.07 4.11 4.48 Watervliet : 74 44 209 253 0.34 2.14 2.92 3.96 Southwest : 85 33 4 211 250 203 0.43 2.23 3.07 4.24 3.83 3.01 : Belding : 71 39 175 234 0.59 1.19 2.01 3.60 Coldwater : 71 40 195 242 0.51 1.79 2.60 3.35 Lansing : 70 36 187 250 0.64 2.04 2.86 3.31 South Central : 86 36 2 192 264 203 0.61 1.89 2.78 3.65 3.59 2.92 : Detroit : 70 44 218 280 0.91 2.11 2.85 2.88 Flint : 70 38 187 232 0.98 1.87 2.50 3.08 Romeo : 69 36 181 243 0.96 2.23 2.97 3.19 Tipton : 72 44 212 273 0.08 1.91 2.78 2.91 Toledo, OH : 76 43 227 312 0.33 2.75 3.61 3.64 Southeast : 76 36 2 198 273 189 0.54 1.88 2.59 2.79 3.63 2.85 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Issued by the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Michigan State University's Cooperative Extension Service, Agricultural Meteorologist, Department of Geography, and Crop Advisory Team ALERTS. 2/ Growing degree days (GDD) is the sum of daily mean temperatures minus 50 per day, 86 maximum and 50 minimum. The GDD is accumulative from April 1.