Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 7/31/17

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS
Topsoil Moisture 5 26 60 9
Subsoil Moisture 4 20 69 7
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus


DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
6.1 6.0 6.6 5.6

CROP CONDITION PERCENT
VP P F G EX
Apple 0 0 50 49 1
Corn 1 4 19 54 22
Cotton 2 6 30 53 9
Hay 2 8 35 47 8
Pasture 2 6 38 50 4
Peanuts 0 3 26 54 17
Sorghum 0 1 24 67 8
Soybeans 1 5 30 53 11
Sweet Potato 0 2 41 52 5
Tobacco: Flue-cured 2 6 33 53 6
Tobacco: Burley 0 1 41 57 1

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.
PHENOLOGICAL:
Corn % Dough 86 72 86 82
Corn % Dent 57 32 51 49
Cotton % Squared 95 90 93 95
Cotton % Setting Bolls 67 51 65 70
Peanut % Pegging 92 85 88 90
Soybeans % Blooming 67 46 63 52
Soybeans % Setting Pods 41 26 35 26
HARVESTED:
Apples 12 n/a 16 13
Hay: Second Cutting 64 53 64 60
Peaches 61 52 57 64
Tobacco Flue-cured 22 13 17 19


COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS
Weather was near normal with approximately 1" of rainfall for the
period with warm temperatures, which were near normal.
Robert Hawk – Swain County Extension

Scattered rain and thunderstorms limited some field activity for the
week. Precipitation levels were highly variable across the county,
but most areas received between 0.5"-1" of rain. Crops continue to
look good with some disease issues becoming more prevalent,
particularly black shank in tobacco, early blight in tomatoes, and
powdery and some downy mildew in cucurbits. Vegetable harvest
is now in full swing. Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Ext

Been getting calls about young shoots on dogwoods wilting from
dry weather. Turf also showing wilt conditions in lawns. Rain event
from this week split our county North and South. The southern part
of the county remains dry. Fruiting crops continue to need rain.
Tobacco growers will likely begin cutter-leaf harvest in the very
near future. Cotton farmers are spraying for Bt-resistant bollworms
and stink bugs. Roy Thagard – Greene County Extension

Franklin County was getting extremely dry in certain locations last
week. We did receive much needed rain towards the end of last
week across the county. Rain range from 1/2" in areas to as much
as 4 inches with hail in some areas. This rain was too late for our
late planted corn. One growers has lost over 200 acres of corn
due to drought. The vegetable season was cut short for some due
lack of rain and extreme heat. Black Shank is taking its toll on the
tobacco crop due to the time of stress it experienced from extreme
heat and drought. Charles Mitchell – Franklin County Ext

Dry conditions prevailed last week. Some light scattered showers
hit the county but nothing of significance. Subsoil moisture carried
most of the corn and soybeans through the July heat. Corn
harvest could begin early next week. Soybeans look good but
need rain. Mark Seitz – Pender County Extension

Corn harvest has begun on some early hybrids with yields being
reported as above average. Insect numbers are beginning to pick
up in soybean and cotton with some treatments going out.
Mac Malloy - Robeson County Extension

Rain showers Friday and Saturday helped with the dry conditions.
Rain is still needed. Crops are looking good following the rain, but
continued rain will be needed. If showers continue producers will
be able to harvest a second cutting.
Julia Houck – Ashe-Alleghany County Extension

Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus has been very bad on our tobacco
crop this year. Black Shank is now starting to show up in the
tobacco crop. Corn and soybeans are looking good for the most
part this year. A good rain this Saturday and Sunday could be
very helpful. Blake Sandlin – Duplin County Extension

Hot weather has increased crop maturity. Corn harvest will begin
shorty. Daniel Simpson – Pamlico County Extension

Extreme heat and dry weather tobacco crop yellowing and
becoming thin. Soybeans have shut down growth process and
are stunted. Corn pollination and yield have been effected by
rains and root development due to denitrification is showing up in
the heat stress. Gary Cross - Person County Extension

Too much heat and dry the last few weeks are reducing yield and
quality across the board. Tim Hambrick – Forsyth County Ext

Crops are looking good. Warren County finally had good rainfall,
so crops and pastures have perked back up.
Kelsey Lichtenwalner – Warren County Extension

High temperatures and lack of rain have been stressful for all
crops the past three weeks.
Cathy Herring – Central Crops Research Station

For more of this story, click here.