Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 5/8/17
SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS
Topsoil Moisture 0 6 57 37
Subsoil Moisture 1 2 75 22
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus
DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
4.0 2.5 2.6 4.6 CROP CONDITION PERCENT
Barley 1 14 25 52 8
Corn 1 3 12 82 2
Oats 0 4 64 29 3
Pasture 1 5 26 65 3
Tobacco: Flue-cured 0 1 29 67 2
Wheat 2 11 25 55 7
VP = Very Poor P = Poor F = Fair G = Good EX = Excellent
CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS
This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Yr.
Avg. VP P F G EX
PLANTED: Corn 88 79 87 87
Cotton 15 N/A N/A 18
Tobacco: Flue-cured 58 38 48 61
PHENOLOGICAL:
Corn % Emerged 78 54 64 68
Wheat % Headed 96 89 79 81
HARVESTED:
Hay: First Cutting 20 N/A N/A 11
COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS The county has received 2-4 inches of rain with some localized areas receiving more and some receiving less. Most of the rain fell in short periods of time and have not helped increase subsoil moisture. Eddy Labus – Watauga County Extension
We have had adequate rainfall of about 1.5" for the period with warm to cold conditions compared to average with "Blackberry Winter" over the weekend from May 5-8, 2017 with light frost in the river valleys of May 8. Robert Hawk – Swain County Extension
Above average April rainfall has moved 75% of the county out of drought. About 25% of the county remains abnormally dry. Steve Duckett – Buncombe County Extension
Tobacco transplanting started back this week after an extremely wet period. Strawberry growers saw an increase in production this week. Early Spring vegetables are slow to harvest currently. Charles Mitchell - Franklin county Extension
Rainfall totals in the vicinity of 1.6" covered most of the county on the night of May 4 alleviating drought conditions. Fields remained water logged for much of the week still draining from last week's 6.5" rainfall. Planting of corn and tobacco is currently delayed. Randy Fulk – Stokes County Extension
More rainfall last week was much needed, but now has hay producers looking for dry window to cut hay. Barley and oats are beginning to dry down. Stephen Bishop – Cleveland SWCD
Rainfall continues to delay field work. Leaching rains and saturated soils having negative impact on corn. Some corn will need to be replanted. Mike Carroll – Carteret County Extension
Rain this past week delayed the completion of corn planting. Wet cool temperatures will delay cotton planting this week. Cathy Herring – Central Crops Research Station
Late week showers stopped planting. Some corn in low areas was in need of replanting from previous week's heavy rains. Most corn is starting off well. Tobacco is being set. Daniel Simpson – Pamlico County Extension
10 inches of rain the last 2 weeks in our area have really thrown planting conditions behind. Large tobacco growers need 3-10 more days of optimal planting weather to finish with transplanting. One grower told me in his 40 years of planting tobacco he has never seen a year like this in which he couldn't finish because of so many rainfall events. Cool, wet weather will delay cotton planting for another week. I calculated $760,000 in loss of fertilizer, seed, and tobacco transplants to this point. Farmers are having a very tough start to the season, they don't need anything to delay them anymore. Roy Thagard – Greene County Extension
Thursday and Friday storms & wind knocked wheat down in some places. Field corn looks excellent in many locations across the county. Some acreage had to be replanted following last Monday's 5.5" deluge. Blueberry harvest will start in earnest next week. Strawberry harvest continues although yields are falling off as blossom set dwindles. Cool temperatures will help keep harvest going on this crop. Mark Seitz – Pender County Extension
Farmers were able to do limited field work avoiding most of their wetter fields. Several corn growers have had issues with bottoms drowning out. Some replants have occurred already. Tobacco continues to be set. Mac Malloy - Robeson County Extension
For the full report, click here.
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