Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 5/13/19


SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS
Subsoil Moisture 10 14 71 5
Topsoil Moisture 9 18 66 7
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK 
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
5.7 6.0 6.2 5.2
CROP CONDITION PERCENT 
VP P F G EX
Barley 0 3 28 62 7
Corn 1 2 26 57 14
Oats 1 2 28 66 3
Pasture 1 3 23 69 4
Tobacco: Flue-cured 0 0 12 76 12
Wheat 7 8 30 42 13
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. 
PLANTED:
Corn 88 73 90 91
Cotton 40 17 32 29
Peanuts 32 16 30 22
Soybeans 25 14 22 18
Tobacco: Flue-cured 68 47 70 70
PHENOLOGICAL:
Barley Headed 80 65 78 73
Corn Emerged 71 50 75 76
Wheat Headed 80 66 85 89
HARVESTED:
Hay: First Cutting 37 20 32 28

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS
Tobacco transplanting is ending for Franklin County. Transplants
look good in the field with no major issues. Small grain crop looks
promising. Soybean planting started last week for many, but
acreage may be downs due to prices. Pastures and hay fields
have thrived recently. Industrial Hemp has been seeded in
greenhouse with hopes of going to the field in a couple of weeks.
Franklin County has about 400 acres permitted currently.
Charles Mitchell – Franklin County Extension

Rain later in the week limited field activities. Vegetable crop
planting is just getting started and corn planting continues.
Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Extension

Crop work went into high gear during the week as fields dried
enough to work. Many tobacco fields were planted; transplants are
doing well. Corn planted the week before emerged and is growing
well. Soybean planting started, too. Some hay was cut and baled,
but growers are a bit afraid to cut because of frequent showers
experienced so far, and weather forecasts of more of the same.
Pastures are in good shape with lots of forage available.
Paul Westfall - Granville County Extension

Need about an inch of rain. Corn planting is completed and the
crop looks really good with uniform plant populations. Compared
to previous years, we have a lot of full season soybean being
planted and they are looking good as well. Wheat is in the grain
filling and ripening stage and is looking very good. Cabbage and
Irish potatoes are looking very good as well.
Al Wood - Pasquotank County Extension

Dry conditions are starting to delay soybean and cotton planting.
Very little rain over the weekend will intensify these concerns.
Cathy Herring – Central Crops Research Station

Buttercups are more prevalent this year in pastures and hayfields,
even with the use of herbicides for control in some cases. Italian
ryegrass one of the largest issues I am seeing in barley this year.
Blake Szilvay – Randolph County Extension

Lots of hay being cut. Soybean planting has gotten underway.
Corn looks good so far.
Stephen Bishop – Cleveland SWCD

Heavy rainfall with minor flooding late in period....3"-4".
Robert Hawk – Swain County Extension

Weather pattern remains dry. Most growers have completed corn
planting and are working on soybeans. More corn acres than
soybeans will be planted this year. We need some rain in the
coming weeks.
Daniel Simpson – Pamlico County Extension

Blueberries harvest is just starting. Volumes are light, but quality
is good.
Bruce Mclean – Bladen County Extension

Dry weather the last two weeks allowed farmers to finish planting
corn. Soybean planting has started and field conditions are very
good. Blueberry harvest started this week and strawberry harvest
continues to go well and could last through the end of May.
Mark Seitz – Penderk County Extension

Planting of cotton and soybean progressing rapidly. Isolated
areas of tobacco farmers replanting a few tobacco fields due to
previous week’s strong winds and rains. Corn crop progressing
rapidly.
Mike Carroll – Craven Co Extension

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