Crop Conditions Improve with Rain
Published: Friday, July 7, 2023
The following is from the Michigan Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending July 2.
Last week's rain events were welcomed by producers and crop conditions improved with the precipitation.
There were 4.4 days suitable for fieldwork.
Despite the recent welcomed rainfall, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, counties in the western half of the Upper Peninsula and the northern and thumb regions of the Lower Peninsula were abnormally dry, while the rest of the Lower Peninsula's major crop growing counties were in moderate drought.
Second cuttings of hay continued where conditions allowed; the hot weather continued to affect regrowth.
Corn, soybean, barley, oat, dry bean and sugarbeet conditions all improved from rain events throughout the week.
Fire condition ratings have been reduced to "medium" and "high" for the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula and "low" for the southern Lower Peninsula.
Fruit
Much-needed rain finally fell across the state last week. This rain brought some much-needed relief. Widespread haziness from wildfires in Canada diminished air quality last week.
Hand thinning in apples was progressing across the state and finished up in some regions. In the Southeast, King fruit was observed up to 50 millimeters.
In the West Central, early varieties ranged from 39-51 mm with later ripening varieties ranging from 31-40 mm. In the Northwest, Gala apples increased from 22 mm last week to 28.5 mm this week. Honeycrisp also increased to 25 mm.
In the South, some growers have started to harvest tart cherries. U-pick operations were underway and selling out fast. In the West Central, tart cherries averaged 19 mm. Harvest will begin after July 4 there.
In the Northwest, tart cherries were coloring. There has been variability in ripening of tart cherries: lots of green fruit but also a good amount of ripe fruit on the trees.
In the Southwest, peach harvest of Rich May and PF1 will be starting soon in the southern part of the region.
In the Southeast, most growers have completed their first round of hand thinning peaches. Peach pits at Fenton and Romeo were still soft enough to be cut through with a knife, but those pits were firming up.
In the Southwest some deepening of color started in blueberries.
Vegetables
Michigan vegetable producers moved forward with field activities after receiving some much-needed rainfall.
First plantings of sweet corn were silking, while peppers and tomatoes were setting fruit.
Pumpkin and hard squash plantings continued throughout the state, with harvest underway for cucumbers and summer squash.
Pest presence was observed in some areas on carrots and eggplants, but activity was relatively minimal. Growers maintained vigilance nonetheless in order to protect vegetable crops.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 15%; short, 30%; adequate, 53%; surplus, 2%.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 31%; short, 36%; adequate, 31%; surplus, 2%.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2022 and five-year average) showed: soybeans emerged, 96, 93, 98, 92; soybeans blooming, 10, 1, 20, 9; winter wheat mature, 22, 5, 28, 29; barley headed, 6, 4, 33, NA; dry edible beans planted, 92, 86, 94, 88; dry edible beans emerged, 85, 74, 90, 75; alfalfa hay, first cutting, 95, 92, 93, 84; alfalfa hay, second cutting, 21, 12, 25, 17; other hay, first cutting, 95, 91, 77, 67; other hay, second cutting, 8, 4, 9, 5; oats headed, 38, 32, 56, 59.
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