Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 7/22/19


SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS
Subsoil Moisture 6 30 61 3
Topsoil Moisture 9 33 56 2
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus


DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK 
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
6.4            5.9                 6.2         5.9 
CROP CONDITION PERCENT 
VP P F G EX
Apples 1 1 20 71 7
Corn 9 21 30 34 6
Cotton 4 17 28 45 6
Hay 1 3 32 62 2
Pasture 1 9 33 55 2
Peanuts 3 7 30 53 7
Sorghum 2 15 38 43 2
Soybeans 3 11 32 44 10
Sweet Potatoes 1 5 33 50 11
Tobacco: Flue-cured 2 12 30 50 6
Tobacco: Burley 0 16 56 27 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. \

PLANTED:
Sorghum 95 93 100 N/A
PHENOLOGICAL:
Corn Silking 89 80 93 94
Corn Dough 53 38 61 64
Corn Dented 16 N/A 21 24
Cotton Squaring 90 82 85 88
Cotton Setting Bolls 53 35 40 48
Peanuts Pegging 72 57 75 78
Soybeans Blooming 36 22 47 43
Soybeans Setting Pods 18 N/A 20 20
HARVESTED:
Hay: Second Cutting 53 44 50 52
Oats 94 91 97 94
Peaches 55 51 38 48

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS

Above average temperatures and highly scattered thunderstorms
predominated the week. Precipitation levels were highly variable
across the county with some areas receiving little more than a
trace, while other areas of the county received in excess of 2" of
rain for the week. Vegetable harvest continues and a few hay
producers started harvesting second cutting hay.
Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Extension

Weather has been very warm with temperatures slightly above
normal and rainfall near normal with scattered afternoon
thundershowers, most locations getting between .5" - 1.5" of
rainfall.
Robert Hawk – Jackson/ Swain County Extension

Extreme heat taking a toll on all crops.
Gary Cross – Person County Extension

Very hot temperatures have taken a toll on crops over the past
week.
Cathy Herring – Central Crops Research Station

Scattered showers across the county have helped soil moisture
and crop conditions keep pace with the excessive heat. Early
planted corn is beginning to dry down. Soybeans are in good to
very good shape - depending on soil moisture holding capacity.
Pastures are rebounding some with recent rainfall but lack of soil
fertility could be a limiting factor. Eastern Duplin County to the
North of Pender has not gotten the rain that Pender has and crops
there are struggling.
Mark Seitz – Pender County Extension

Hot and dry conditions for the week of 7/15-7/22. These conditions
caused a few pop-up thunderstorms with limited rainfall.
Tim Britton – Johnston County Extension

The heat wave and drought has created some up and down
crops. Some tobacco is still knee high where some is over head
height. Soybean planting is finally complete. Vegetable crops
have suffered from the dry and hot conditions. Pasture and hay
fields have suffered during the extreme weather conditions. As
one farmer said, "Every year is different."
Charles Mitchell - Franklin County Extension

Extreme heat and lack of rainfall continues to stress crops and
delay field work. Insect pests at threshold in cotton and soybean
as well as a few scattered tobacco fields.
Mike Carroll - Craven County Extension

Intense heat is restricting plant growth and some needed
spraying. Soil conditions are drying out in areas that have missed
rains. Concerns of increased insect pressure moving forward.
Mac Malloy – Robeson County Extension

Dry, hot weather continues. Early corn will be ready for harvest in
a couple of weeks. Early soybeans have added considerable
growth, but later planted beans are feeling the effects of this hot
weather.
Daniel Simpson – Pamlico County Extension

Recent rains have replenished soil moisture resulting in greatly
improved conditions of crops such as corn, soybean and cotton.
Abnormally high temperatures has adversely impacted crops
such as corn and soybean on drought prone soils. With a few
exceptions, cabbage harvest is complete as well as Irish potato
harvest. Cabbage land is being prepared for the fall crop. Insect
and/or disease issues of corn and soybean are being addressed
as needed.
AL Wood – Pasquotank County Extension

For the full report, click here.