Fieldwork Limited in Michigan; Fruit Crops Delayed
Published: Friday, May 8, 2020
The following is from the Michigan Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending May 3.
Cooler temperatures and heavy rains across most areas of the state saturated soils and limited fieldwork opportunities. There were 3.5 days suitable for fieldwork.
In the eastern Upper Peninsula, excessive rain brought standing water to fields and further delayed spring field preparation while cooler temperatures slowed pasture, hay and wheat growth.
In the East Central region, sugarbeet planting remained a week ahead of normal as rain and warmer temperatures there made conditions just right to allow for a great deal of planting to happen in a short period of time.
Although some planting progress was reported in corn and soybeans late in the week in eastern and southern counties, many producers elsewhere held off due to cold soil temperatures and last week's weather patterns.
Other activities for the week including applying fertilizer, spreading manure, spraying for weeds, spraying burn down applications on cover crops, and spring tillage to prep fields.
Fruit
Lower than normal temperatures delayed fruit crop development last week. Fruit planting continued.
Blueberries in the West Central remain in the bud burst stage. Duke, Bluecrop, Draper and Legacy were most advanced; Jersey and Elliot were still in bud swell. Blueberry flower buds in the Southwest were opening. There was very little freeze damage.
Tart cherries in the Northwest were in good shape despite the cold weather. There appeared to be little winter damage to either trees or flower buds.
Bees were being moved into orchards with the anticipation of bloom. Bees were out and about during the warmer parts of the day. In the Southwest, tart cherries were at bud burst or tight cluster and freeze injury was widespread.
There were several apple scab infection periods last week and growers across the state began apple scab prevention spray programs prior to those rain events. In the Southwest and East, apples were in tight cluster. Freeze damage was light though damage was varied based on variety and location.
Peaches in the Southwest were at 50 percent bloom in early blooming varieties and in pink for other varieties. Damage from freezes in late April appeared to be minimal. In the Southwest, peaches were in calyx red to first pink. Damage from late April freezes was minimal, with Michigan State Extension estimating loss at 10 to 20 percent of flower buds.
Vegetables
Asparagus has emerged throughout the state. Although widespread harvest has not begun, some scattered harvest occurred over the weekend in the Southwest. In the West Central, growers applied pre-emergence herbicides to the crop.
Carrot planting continued in the East, as well as, cole crop plantings. Early cabbage, broccoli, turnips, spinach and lettuce were planted in the Southwest.
Potato planting was underway, with no emergence being reported at this time.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 0 percent; short, 2 percent; adequate, 64 percent; surplus, 34 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 0 percent; short, 2 percent; adequate, 64 percent; surplus, 34 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2019 and 5-year average) showed: corn planted, 11, 3, 3, 12; soybeans planted, 13, 4, 2, 4; winter wheat jointing, 37, 22, 20, 23; barley planted, 21, 10, 3, NA; barley emerged, 4, 0, 0, NA; oats planted, 57, 41, 30, 38; oats emerged, 21, 6, 7, 7; sugarbeets planted, 77, 62, 26, 57; sugarbeets emerged, 37, 16, NA, NA.
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