Late Freeze Delivers Gut Punch to Mich. Fruit Crops
Published: Friday, May 15, 2020
The following is from the Michigan Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending May 10.
Cooler temperatures prevailed across most areas of the state, but drier conditions allowed for some planting and other fieldwork to continue. There were 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork.
Drier conditions allowed for spring field preparation although the cooler temperatures slowed pasture, hay and wheat growth. In the East Central region, sugarbeet planting progress held steady but growth was slowed due to the colder conditions.
Significant planting progress was reported in corn and soybeans in southern counties. In the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, snow, freezing temperatures and the threat of rain kept farmers from making significant planting progress.
Other activities for the week including applying fertilizer, scouting, spraying for weeds, spraying burn down applications on cover crops, and spring tillage to prep fields.
Fruit
A cold week was punctuated by freezing temperatures over the weekend. Growers that had frost protection equipment available used it extensively all weekend. Fruit damage is unknown at this time and will become more evident in coming weeks.
Apples in the Southeast suffered damage due to frost and freeze events on the morning of April 22. Apples on the Ridge were in tight cluster with some pink on early cultivars. In the Northwest, apples were at half-inch green to early tight cluster. Early apples varieties in the Southwest were beginning to bloom.
Peaches in the East were in full bloom and just starting to bloom on the Ridge. In the Southwest, peach bloom began.
Tart cherries in the Northwest were in green tip and beginning to bloom in the Southwest. Freeze injury from events in April was evident with some sites suffering severe damage.
Blueberries were in tight cluster to early pink bud in the Southwest. Some early varieties were close to bloom.
Vegetables
The weather remained conducive for potato planting to continue at a moderate pace, with some early potatoes sprouting in the Southeast. Limited asparagus harvest occurred in the South.
Sweet corn planting was ongoing throughout the state, although cool temperatures have slowed both emergence and growth.
Cole crop planting advanced in the Southeast, while some yellow squash and zucchini were seeded in the Southwest. In the East, peppers were in the ground in some hoop houses.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 4 percent; short, 13 percent; adequate, 70 percent; surplus, 13 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 4 percent; short, 11 percent; adequate, 67 percent; surplus, 18 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2019 and 5-year average) showed: corn planted, 37, 11, 4, 26; corn emerged, 3, 0, 0, 4; soybeans planted, 35, 13, 3, 12; soybeans emerged, 2, 0, 0, 0; winter wheat jointing, 53, 37, 26, 40; barley planted, 29, 21, 9, NA; barley emerged, 9, 4, 0, NA; oats planted, 69, 57, 42, 55; oats emerged, 33, 21, 15, 23; sugarbeets planted, 85, 77, 41, 77; sugarbeets emerged, 56, 37, 8, NA.
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