Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 4/20/15
DAYS SUITIBLE FOR FIELD WORK
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
3.8 5.4 3.7 n/a SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT VS ST A SS Topsoil Moisture 0 3 60 37
Subsoil Moisture 0 1 67 32
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus
CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS
This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Yr. Avg.
VP P F G EX
PLANTED: Corn 40 25 40 54 PHENOLOGICAL: Wheat % Headed 10 n/a n/a 28 VP = Very Poor P = Poor F = Fair G = Good EX = Excellent CROP CONDITION PERCENT Barley 2 5 25 62 6
Oats 4 10 43 37 6
Pasture 3 13 43 38 3 Wheat 2 10 33 47 8
VP = Very Poor P = Poor F = Fair G = Good EX = Excellent COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS
Barley crop been affected by freezing temps especially in low lying areas.
Dwayne Tate – Agronomist Region 12
Rains all week have helped with the abnormally dry conditions, but rain is still needed. Producers are working cattle to turn them out on pastures which should help with the hay shortage. Julia Houck – Ashe-Alleghany FSA
The rain of 1-3 inches in the western piedmont caused corn planting to come to a stop. The first crop of strawberries are being picked and are looking good despite the cold temperatures in March. Barley is heading out in some locations.
Daniel Overcash - Agronomist Region 11
Rainfall this week has delayed vegetable field preparation & planting. Pastures & hayland continue to improve.
Jan McGuinn – Rutherford County Extension
Rain mid-week hindered field activities; however, soil conditions dried to allow some field work by late week. Most fruit crops are blooming with apple and pears in full bloom at this point and blueberries nearing full bloom. Most strawberries are past peak bloom and are setting fruit at this point. Pastures and hay crops are growing nicely and a number of livestock producers have moved their animals to spring pasture. There has been limited planting of potatoes, snap peas, and very limited amount of cabbage and broccoli.
Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Extension
Continued rains delay field work. Diseases beginning to increase in tobacco transplant production.
Mike Carroll – Craven County Extension
With all of the rainfall lately, it's been difficult for tobacco farmers to bed up cropland for transplant preparations. Pastures are getting greener and cool-season grass is growing. Strawberry growers are about two weeks behind on starting to pick; they are planning on opening fields the 1st of May if possible. Grain growers are planting field corn now.
Joey Knight – Caswell County Extension
Too wet to plant corn. Some got in two weeks ago to plant. Fields have not had adequate time to dry. Most wheat that was a cover has been sprayed to burndown to plant cotton. Too many wet, rainy, days in the forecast. Probably won't re-start planting corn until next week. Too wet to cut hay, waiting for some dry, sunny days.
Jessica Morgan – Anson County Extension
Because of rain in recent weeks, field work has been limited. Farmers are planting those fields in corn that are dry enough. The wheat crop looks very good. The cabbage crop looks very good and Irish potatoes are starting to emerge. Plantings of corn that have emerged so far have very uniform plant populations.
Al Wood – Pasquotank County Extension
Small grains continue to develop slowly with wide spread sulfur and manganese deficiencies still showing up. Cereal leaf beetles were found at threshold in an isolated location last week. Powdery mildew has also started showing up. Growers had started transplanting tobacco. Most transplants have reached the point where they need to be moved to the field. Plant size and greenhouse diseases are beginning to push growers to the field.
Chris Jernigan – Agronomist Region 3
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