Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 7/14/14

GENERAL: Days suitable for field work 5.7. Topsoil moisture 9% very short, 29% short, 58% adequate and 4% surplus. Subsoil moisture 6% very short, 25% short, 64% adequate and 5% surplus. Received scattered showers and thunderstorms across the state this week with precipitation amounts recorded over 2 inches in some eastern areas.  This week’s report shows cotton squaring was rated at 85%, peanuts pegging at 80%, corn silking at 88%, dough at 50%, and dented at 18%, soybeans blooming at 33% and setting pods at 13%.  The second cutting of hay at 59% and peaches harvested at 49%.

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COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS

Hurricane Arthur dropped 2" to 4" of much needed rain across the county last week. No significant wind damage. Some damage to tobacco occurred, which will make sucker control difficult and affect crop quality. Localized flooding in places will reduce crop yield in some soybeans and cotton. In general crops look very good. Southern corn rust has not yet been found in Pender County but it has been found in adjacent counties. Mark Seitz – Pender County Extension  

Some extremely dry areas of Harnett received some much needed rain this past week. Tobacco has been waiting on rain to activate fertilizer and finish filling out. Tobacco harvest has not started at this point and it is looking like it will be a late crop. Cotton, soybeans and sweet potato crops looking good at this point.  Brian Parrish – Harnett County Extension  

Moisture variable across region, nowhere in excess. Some localities have had little rain in several weeks. Tim Hall  – Region 4 Agronomist   

Much needed rain arrived on Thursday afternoon with cotton squaring to early bloom the rain was needed for square retention Cathy Herring  – Johnston County Central Crops  

The Northern and Eastern parts of the county have not had meaningful rain since mid-May. Corn is drying up, soybeans have very poor stands, pastures and hay are dormant and brown. Spring hay cutting was less than average and farmers are now feeding hay and selling cattle early. Carl Pless – Cabarrus County Extension  

Rains that have fallen east of I-95 have crop conditions improving, while continued dry conditions, mainly west of I-95, have crop conditions deteriorating. Tobacco growers that have the capability are irrigating. Don Nicholson – Region 7 Agronomist  

Region 9 did not receive much rain over the past week and crops continue to suffer unless irrigated. Farmers continue to irrigate tobacco and corn. Guilford, Randolph, and Moore counties are very dry and corn is very stunted in some areas. Vegetable crops are still in good shape under drip irrigation, but water sources are beginning to become limited in some areas. Colby Lambert – Region 9 Agronomist  

CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS   
This Week   Last Week   Last Year  5-Year Avg   
PHENOLOGICAL:      

Soybean % Emerged 95 91 76 92  

Soybeans % Blooming 33 18 n/a 15  

Soybeans % Setting Pods 13 n/a n/a n/a  

Corn % Silking 88 80 92 96  

Corn % Dough 50 30 44 49  

Corn % Dented 18 n/a n/a n/a  

Cotton % Squaring 85 70 72 84  

Cotton % Setting Bolls 15 n/a n/a 30  

Peanut % Pegging 80 57 52 68

PLANTED:      

Sorghum 89 84 76 n/a  

Sweet Potatoes 96 93 91 96

HARVESTED:      

Hay 2nd cutting 59 47 27 51  

Peaches 49 37 24 32  

Wheat 97 94 82 96  

Oats 74 73 76 95  

CROP CONDITION PERCENT  
VP P F G EX  
Apples 2 4 27 64 3  

Corn 4 12 27 46 11  

Cotton 1 4 23 62 10  

Hay 1 5 26 61 7  

Pasture  4 13 34 45 4  

Peaches 4 20 19 53 4  

Peanuts 0 1 17 70 12  

Sorghum 1 2 30 50 17  

Soybeans 1 5 25 59 10  

Sweet Potatoes 0 1 26 60 13  

Tobacco: Flue-cured 1 7 21 57 14  

Tobacco: Burley 1 4 26 41 28        

VP = Very Poor  P = Poor  F = Fair  G = Good   EX = Excellent  

     
SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT  
VS ST A SS  
Topsoil Moisture 9 29 58 4  

Subsoil Moisture 6 25 64 5        

VS= Very Short   ST = Short   A = Adequate   SS = Surplus