Hot, Dry Weather Dries Up Soil
Published: Friday, June 2, 2023
The following is from the Michigan Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending May 28.
Last week's dry and hot weather had some producers concerned about crop conditions. There were 6.8 days suitable for fieldwork.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Mason, Lake and Oceana counties along the Lake Michigan shoreline experienced abnormally dry conditions.
Corn emergence followed historical averages despite the dry conditions.
Soybeans planted and emerged was trending ahead of average. Dry bean planting began.
Sugarbeet and oat condition was mainly rated good to fair.
Weather was ideal for first cutting of hay.
Winter wheat headed has begun to pick up in the southeast Lower Peninsula.
Producers reported concerns for field and pasture growth because very little precipitation is in the immediate forecast.
Main activities for this week were planting and applying pesticides.
Fruit
Warm, dry weather pushed fruit development last week. Most fruit growing areas have been without rainfall in the past few weeks, so growers were hoping for rain.
In the Southwest, apples ranged from 10 mm to over 17 mm in diameter. In the southern parts of the Southeast region, apples were ranging from .25- to .5-inch diameter, while further north fruitlet size was a bit smaller.
In the West Central, early apple varieties had fruitlets that were 6-8 mm in size. Later varieties were at the end of full bloom to petal fall. In the Northwest, apples were at early petal fall to petal fall.
In the Southwest, tart cherry fruit were big enough to see with pits becoming noticeably firmer. In the West Central, tart cherry fruitlets ranged from shuck split to about 8 mm. In the Northwest, cherries were at shuck split.
In the Southwest, some varieties of peaches had two distinct fruit sizes with the smaller fruit yet to drop. Fruit set in some sites was greater in treetops and higher elevations due to freeze damage. Crop loads were still generally good in the area.
In the Southeast, peaches were mostly at fruit set with some remaining petals. In the West Central, peaches were in shuck or at shuck split.
In the South, blueberry bloom continues. Some varieties closer to the Lake were at petal fall.
Vegetables
Unusually dry weather conditions throughout the state prompted many growers to use irrigation to water their vegetable crops.
Producers also applied pesticides to manage insect presence on certain crops, such as asparagus and cabbages.
Vegetable fieldwork was proceeding quickly across lower Michigan, with transplanting taking place for tomatoes, peppers and sweet onions.
First plantings of cucumbers and summer squash were up and showing leaves, while rhubarb harvest was beginning.
In the West Central region, carrots for processing were up, with sowing underway for fresh market varieties.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 22%; short, 46%; adequate, 31%; surplus, 1%.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 16%; short, 42%; adequate, 41%; surplus, 1%.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2022 and five-year average) showed: corn planted, 80, 60, 77, 70; corn emerged, 43, 20, 43, 42; soybeans planted, 80, 57, 58, 58; soybeans emerged, 37, 16, 30, 33; winter wheat jointing, 89, 80, 90, 82; winter wheat headed, 29, 6, 20, 19; barley planted, 61, 46, 60, 61; barley emerged, 19, 7, 50, 37; dry edible beans planted, 3, 0, NA, NA; alfalfa hay, first cutting, 19, 2, 7, NA; other hay, first cutting, 7, 1, 3, NA; oats planted, 93, 79, 89, 86; oats emerged, 60, 37, 69, 68; sugarbeets planted, 100, 97, 99, 98; sugarbeets emerged, 95, 90, 86, 81.
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