Source: USDA' NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 5/3/21

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT 
VS ST A SS
Subsoil Moisture 1 21 76 2
Topsoil Moisture 7 31 61 1
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            6.2            4.3            4.6 

CROP CONDITION PERCENT
VP P F G EX
Barley 1 14 51 32 2
Corn 0 5 14 70 11
Oats 0 1 46 52 1
Pasture 1 4 33 61 1
Wheat 3 10 36 48 3
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 79 62 77 76
Cotton 10 N/A N/A N/A
Soybeans 19 14 N/A N/A
Tobacco: Flue-Cured 48 26 42 40
PHENOLOGICAL:
Barley Headed 72 60 70 59
Corn Emerged 60 37 55 51
Winter Wheat Headed 60 13 69 68
HARVESTED:
Hay: First Cutting 12 N/A 13 11

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE FIELD
The area experienced a lot of warm, dry wind this past week and
the rain certainly seems to have slowed down. Some
tobacco producers quit setting plants while waiting for the wind to
calm. Soybean producers, in areas, have paused planting due to
hard soil surfaces. – SURRY, FORSYTH, STOKES

Weather conditions were reported normal to slightly below for
rainfall with .50" for the period. Soil moisture conditions also
averaged to slightly below average. Temperatures were near
normal with light frosts early in week. – JACKSON, SWAIN

Almost 75% of the area tobacco crops has been planted. Wheat is
heading and producers are planting soybeans. We are starting to
dry out rapidly especially as we experience windy days. Local
crops could use about 1/2 inch of rain in the next day or so.
Without rain we will start seeing some detrimental effects from the
short drought conditions we are experiencing. – FRANKLIN,
HALIFAX, NASH

Dry conditions this week. Tobacco transplanting is underway and
corn planting is going strong. - PERSON

Topsoil is dry which has slowed planting in the areas. Plants that
have germinated are in need rain. Pasture growth has slowed, and
post-grazing regrowth is very slow. - WAKE

Soil conditions are getting very dry. The area needs a good rain
event. Steady, strong winds delayed tobacco transplanting for
several days. These winds also resulted in sandblasting of the
newly set transplants. Scattered frost in some areas exacerbated
the sandblasting effect. – HARNETT, JOHNSTON, LEE, WAKE,
WAYNE

Area conditions are very dry. – ANSON

Fallout from the late freeze has become more apparent as many
blackberry, apple, and peach growers are filing total losses.
Dry conditions have a few farmers starting on their first cuttings of
hay. - CLEVELAND

Soil Moisture is very depleted. Multiple opportunities for rain have
not materialized for most of the county. Farmers are moving
forward planting in the hopes that rain will be forthcoming. –
JONES, LENOIR

Drought conditions are setting in and some planting has been
stopped due to excessively dry soils. - PAMLICO

Corn, soybean and cotton planting continues even though current
soil moisture is low. Tobacco transplanting is progressing rapidly.
Steady winds this past week have caused moderate damage to
all seedling crops. - CRAVEN

Frost damage reported 4/22 to small grain crops appears to
be more severe than previously thought. Damage reported is
around 25%. - SCOTLAND

All crops are progressing well, but Pender County desperately
needs rain. Corn planting is mostly complete. Subsurface
moisture has been enough to get the crop to germinate. Without
rain, future growth will be slowed or stunted. Despite the late April
frost, most strawberries are doing well. However, if the hot
weather continues, harvest season may end as early as mid-May.
Blueberry harvest was delayed a few days by the late April frost.
First harvest now projected into early next week. Soybean
planting may be delayed as farmers wait for rain. Wheat looks
good with little to no frost injury in heads. Harvest could begin by
late May if the hot, dry weather continues. Subsoil waters
are dropping. Ditches and swamps in the county that normally
carry surface water are dry. - PENDER

Planting continues but soil moisture is drying out quickly due to
low humidity and high winds. Most growers are pleased with their
corn and soybean stands. Wheat needs rain as it progresses
through grain fill. Strawberry harvest continues to be good. -
ROBESON

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