Farmers Planting Corn, Making Hay
Published: Friday, June 3, 2022
The following is from the Michigan Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending May 29.
Despite precipitation events prevailing across much of the state, producers were able to continue planting in between rain.
There were 4.1 days suitable for fieldwork.
Emergence progress was significant across all crops. The Eastern Upper Peninsula is still experiencing abnormally dry weather. The Northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula reported freezing and near freezing nights; emerged crops may have been damaged in some areas.
In the Lower Peninsula, planting of corn and soybeans continued as weather allowed.
First cuttings of alfalfa and other hay began in the southernmost counties. Insect and disease pressure remained relatively low across most areas.
Other activities during the week included initial crop scouting, spreading fertilizer and tillage.
Fruit
Cooler, wetter weather last week slowed phenological development. On the Ridge, early apples were around 12 mm with varieties like Gala, Fuji and Honeycrisp around 6 mm.
In the West Central apples ranged from bloom to fruit set. Varieties like Gala and Honeycrisp were in bloom. In the Northwest, apples were generally in petal fall.
In the Southwest, apples ranged from 10 to 15 mm with earlier varieties being further along.
Tart cherries were in shuck on the Ridge. In the West Central, tarts ranged from bloom to shuck split. In the Northwest, tart cherries were in shuck.
In the Southwest, tart cherries were around 11 mm. Crop potential was very good there.
Peaches on the Ridge were in shuck. In the West Central, peaches ranged from petal fall to shuck split. In the Southwest, peaches were out of shuck and fruit ranged from 8 to 15 mm.
Blueberries in the Southwest ranged from late bloom to petal fall depending upon variety.
Vegetables
Warm-season crops were taking off this week, with field plantings of tomatoes, peppers and eggplants underway throughout the state.
Sweet corn planting continued, and earlier seedings were emerging.
Transplanting of onions and leeks continued while squash and cucumbers were being seeded and transplanted in the Southwest.
In the West Central region, planting of processing carrots was finishing up, and preparations were being made for pumpkin and melon plantings.
Asparagus harvest was robust, with some fields already shutting down after producers had completed pickings. Minor purple spot was detected on some spears following recent cooler weather.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 0 percent; short, 4 percent; adequate, 68 percent; surplus, 28 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 0 percent; short, 4 percent; adequate, 72 percent; surplus, 24 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2021 and 5-year average) showed: corn planted, 80, 60, 94, 72; corn emerged, 47, 18, 75, 45; soybeans planted, 60, 47, 90, 60; soybeans emerged, 33, 13, 63, 34; winter wheat jointing, 90, 89, 97, 82; winter wheat headed, 23, 2, 46, 23; barley planted, 64, 39, 90, N/A; barley emerged, 55, 21, 48, N/A; dry edible beans planted, 1, 0, 6, N/A; alfalfa hay, first cutting, 8, 0, 23, N/A; other hay, first cutting, 3, 0, 13, N/A; oats planted, 91, 77, 96, 85; oats emerged, 73, 42, 85, 67; sugarbeets planted, 99, 96, 100, 98; sugarbeets emerged, 88, 71, 98, 82.
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