Soil Moisture Levels Replenished
Published: Friday, July 7, 2023
The following is from the Indiana Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending July 2.
Plentiful rainfall replenished soil moisture levels and aided in stabilizing crop conditions.
Soil moisture levels increased from the previous week, with 61% of topsoil moisture reported as adequate or surplus.
The average temperature for the week was 72.6 degrees F, .7 degrees below normal. The amount of rainfall varied from .40 to 5.83 inches over the week.
The statewide average precipitation was 2.30 inches, 1.21 inches above normal.
There were 4.5 days suitable for fieldwork.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout much of the state stabilized crop conditions. Corn and soybean conditions both improved slightly from the previous week, with 52% of corn and 53% of soybeans rated in good to excellent condition.
Harvest progress for winter wheat continued behind the five-year average. Winter wheat condition was rated 70% good to excellent.
Cuttings of alfalfa and other hay were taken where possible. Despite slowed regrowth due to extended periods of dry weather, hay cutting progress for both alfalfa and other hay continued slightly ahead of their respective five-year averages.
Pasture conditions improved slightly with 37% of pastures rated in good to excellent condition, up 1 percentage point from the previous week.
Other activities for the week included hay baling, mowing, fertilizer and herbicide applications, fair preparations and equipment repairs.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 13%; short, 26%; adequate, 55%; surplus, 6%.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 16%; short, 33%; adequate, 47%; surplus, 4%.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2022 and five-year average) showed: corn silking, 7, 3, 3, 7; soybeans blooming, 13, 4, 12, 17; winter wheat mature, 90, 82, 91, 87; winter wheat harvested, 36, 21, 58, 44; alfalfa hay, second cutting, 35, 23, 46, 34; other hay, second cutting, 26, 15, 37, 23.
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