Indiana Topsoil Moisture Dropping
Published: Friday, June 2, 2023
The following is from the Indiana Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending May 28.
Another dry week in Indiana spurred hay harvest and left many growers hoping for rain.
Soil moisture levels decreased sharply from the previous week, with 60% of topsoil moisture now reported as adequate or surplus, down 23 points from the previous week.
The average temperature for the week was 64.2 degrees F, .4 degrees below normal.
The amount of rainfall varied from none to .26 inches over the week.
The statewide average precipitation was .01 inches, 1.14 inches below normal.
There were 6.8 days suitable for fieldwork.
Dry weather brought excellent fieldwork conditions that spurred progress for many crops. Corn and soybean planting progress remained ahead of schedule.
Corn already emerged was rated 72% good to excellent and 70% of soybeans were rated good to excellent condition.
Emergence for corn and soybeans also remained ahead of their respective five-year averages despite dry conditions.
Winter wheat jointing for Indiana neared completion with 79% of the crop rated in good to excellent condition.
First cuttings of alfalfa and other hay surged ahead of their respective five-year averages due to excellent hay harvesting conditions.
Pasture conditions declined slightly from the previous week with 68% of pasture rated in good to excellent condition.
Other activities for the week included side-dressing fertilizer, crop certification and irrigation system maintenance.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 10%; short, 30%; adequate, 57%; surplus, 3%.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 7%; short, 28%; adequate, 62%; surplus, 3%.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2022 and five-year average) showed: corn planted, 92, 77, 79, 75; corn emerged, 71, 47, 54, 57; soybeans planted, 88, 72, 67, 64; soybeans emerged, 63, 40, 41, 44; winter wheat jointing, 97, 93, 94, 93; winter wheat headed, 77, 53, 60, 66; alfalfa hay, first cutting, 61, 10, 21, 30; other hay, first cutting, 47, 8, 17, 24.
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