Only 2.7 Days Suitable for Fieldwork
Published: Friday, May 6, 2022
The following is from the Michigan Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending May 1.
Cold, wet weather across much of the state continued to hamper fieldwork activities last week. There were 2.7 days suitable for fieldwork.
This week saw below average temperatures paired with rain and cool drizzle. The Thumb region, Mason and Lake counties received a rain and snow mix with some accumulation.
In the Eastern Upper Peninsula, conditions remained very dry.
In the Lower Peninsula, a lapse in precipitation over the weekend helped dry lighter soils, but many areas still had standing water and soil temperatures too low for planting corn.
Oats and alfalfa were seeded in-between rain events, while Sugarbeet and soybean planting progressed in the Thumb region.
Winter wheat continued to green up this week; some fields have had nitrogen applied.
Other activities included spring tillage, spraying chemicals, hauling manure and tending to livestock while waiting for warmer and dryer weather.
Fruit
Warm temperatures that began the week pushed fruit development and brought some fruit in the Southwest near bloom.
Weather turned unseasonably cooler, even cold, later in the week, which stalled fruit development. Near record lows later in the week, including temperatures in the high 20's, appeared to not have negatively affected fruit not yet in bloom.
Apples in the Southwest ranged from tight cluster to almost bloom. On the Ridge, apples were around .5 inch green. In the West Central, apples ranged from green tip to .5 inch green.
Peaches in the Southwest ranged from first pink to full bloom. In the West Central, peaches ranged from bud swell to green tip.
Tart cherries in the Southwest were at first white. In the Northwest, tarts ranged from green tip to side green. In the West Central, tart cherries ranged from bud swell to green tip.
Blueberry were in tight cluster in the Southwest. In the West Central, blueberries were in bud break or tight cluster.
Vegetables
Below-average temperatures hindered planting progress for vegetables throughout most of the state. Recent cold and wet weather conditions had slowed asparagus and carrot fieldwork, but producers in the West Central region were intensifying planting activities and herbicide applications thanks to welcome dry weather.
In the East, beets and onions were seeded while broccoli, cauliflower and lettuce were transplanted. Meanwhile, transplanted sweet onions on plastic were going in, and garlic was up in several fields.
Transplants for peppers were underway across the state, and hoop house tomatoes were setting fruit.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 0 percent; short, 0 percent; adequate, 62 percent; surplus, 38 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 0 percent; short, 1 percent; adequate, 68 percent; surplus, 31 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2021 and 5-year average) showed: corn planted, 1, 0, 26, 10; soybeans planted, 3, 0, 24, 8; winter wheat jointing, 32, 9, 73, 32; barley planted, 1, 0, 37, N/A; oats planted, 20, 4, 69, 40; oats emerged, 1, 0, 51, 16; sugarbeets planted, 16, 3, 93, 52.
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