Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 7/28/14

GENERAL: Days suitable for field work 5.0. Topsoil moisture 4% very short, 18% short, 69% adequate and 9% surplus. Subsoil moisture 4% very short, 20% short, 70% adequate and 6% surplus. The state received widespread showers during the week  with the eastern part of the state receiving the heaviest rainfall.  Some areas recorded receiving between 2.0 to over 7.0 inches. The cold front also brought in below normal temperatures for most of the week. This week’s report shows soybeans blooming and setting pods running ahead of the 5 year average, with blooming at 55% and setting pods at 29%. Cotton setting bolls was rated at 78% and peanuts pegging at 93%. Reports for corn dough reported at 72%, and dented at 41%.  The second cutting of hay reported at 72%, peaches harvested at 65% and flue-cured tobacco harvested at 19%.

EXTENSION REPORTS
Scattered rain showers/thunder storms during the week limited field activities. Rainfall amounts varied across the county with some areas receiving heavy rainfall. High winds associated with the storms caused some lodging in crops, especially corn.  Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Extension  

Topping and sucker control activities are happening on tobacco farms. Harvest should begin soon. Soybeans are looking good, even those planted after wheat. Cotton is progressing well. Pastures are typical for cool season grasses, and some farmers are feeding hay to get through the summer months. Paul Westfall – Granville County Extension  

Rains over much of the region have greatly improved crops, especially tobacco, cotton, and soybeans. Guilford County saw the least amount of precipitation, but overall a big improvement. Tobacco farmers will begin harvest in the southern part of the region, and soybeans have greatly improved over the past week. High numbers of kudzu bugs were observed in kudzu this past week, so movement into soybeans will probably increase. Colby Lambert  – Region 9 Agronomist   

The corn crop looks very good overall. Scouting for Southern corn rust disease, many farmers have applied fungicides sprays to their corn crop. Soybeans have all been planted, and are looking pretty well at this time. Tommy Grandy – Currituck County Extension  

Parts of Brunswick County have received 12 inches of rain over the last six weeks after experiencing drought conditions during June. This has some growers concerned about southern corn rust and nutrient leaching. Other counties in the southeastern part of the state are still extremely dry. The tobacco crop is still holding up pretty well compared to other row crops. Georgia Love – Region 5 Agronomist  

Army worms are showing up in pastures with some treatments going out. Worm activity has slowed in several crops but expecting moth flight to peak in the coming week or two. Tobacco harvest is continuing. Over all crop conditions are good. Mac Malloy – Robeson County Extension

CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS  

This Week Last Week  Last Year  5-Year Avg  
PHENOLOGICAL:      
Soybeans % Blooming 55 46 24 41  
Soybeans % Setting Pods 29 23 n/a 14  
Corn % Silking 95 94 99 99  
Corn % Dough 72 64 81 82  
Corn % Dented 41 31 38 40  
Cotton % Squaring 94 92 93 95  
Cotton % Setting Bolls 78 68 63 71  
Peanut % Pegging 93 90 85 93  

PLANTED:      
Sorghum 95 90 82 n/a

HARVESTED:      
Apples 17 n/a n/a n/a  
Hay 2nd cutting 72 65 38 64  
Peaches 65 59 57 60  
Tobacco: flue-cured 19 15 17 13

CROP CONDITION PERCENT   VP P F G EX  
Apples 2 4 27 64 3  
Corn 3 11 24 50 12  
Cotton 0 4 22 62 12  
Hay 0 5 27 60 8  
Pasture  4 13 38 40 5  
Peanuts 0 1 15 68 16  
Sorghum 1 2 29 55 13  
Soybeans 1 5 25 57 12  
Sweet Potatoes 0 0 25 60 15  
Tobacco: Flue-cured 0 5 19 62 14  
Tobacco: Burley 1 4 27 40 28        
VP = Very Poor  P = Poor  F = Fair  G = Good   EX = Excellent  

     
SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT   VS ST A SS  
Topsoil Moisture 4 18 69 9  
Subsoil Moisture 4 20 70 6        
VS= Very Short   ST = Short   A = Adequate   SS = Surplus

For the full report, click here.