Source: USDA' NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 4/27/15

DAYS SUITIBLE FOR FIELD WORK

This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
4.1 3.8 4.6 n/a

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT

VS ST A SS
Topsoil Moisture 0 2 65 33
Subsoil Moisture 0 1 75 24
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus

CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS
This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Yr. Avg.
PLANTED:

Corn 59 40 58 75  
Tobacco: Flue Cured 19 n/a 18 31  

PHENOLOGICAL:
Corn % Emerged 25 n/a 30 40
Wheat % Headed 32 10 18 49

CROP CONDITION PERCENT

VP P F G EX 

Barley 0 3 27 65 5

Oats 2 9 45 39 5

Pasture 2 10 39 45 4

Wheat 1 9 34 48 8

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

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS

Rain early in the week and again late week limited field activities due to wet soil conditions. Temperatures dipped into the lower 30's mid-week resulting in frost in some areas of the county; however, minimal damage has been reported. Strawberry growers were at the highest risk, but row covers seem to have prevented any damage. 
Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Extension

Field prep work continued as fields dried enough for equipment. Corn planting continued, but progress has been slow. Farmers are saying they are about 2 weeks behind. Pastures are improving rapidly. Fescue and orchard grass are starting to head out. Hay operations will start in a couple of weeks, weather permitting.
Paul Westfall – Granville County Extension 

Excessive rain has kept farmers out of the fields. Wheat is progressing some diseases are setting in: rust, glume blotch, barley yellow drawf virus and powdery mildew. Some transplanting will need to go in next week and the week after. More rain expected this weekend.
Gary Cross – Person County Extension 

Tobacco transplanting and corn planting continued this week. Cool damp weather continues to plague the entire region. Corn emergence has been slow and problematic on soils with higher organic matter. Strawberries are now being harvested across the region, but early signs indicate that ideal weather conditions will be needed to make this a successful crop.
Chris Jernigan – Agronomist Region 3 

Showers continue to slow corn planting but progress continues. A few growers have completed corn planting. Wheat is looking good and many fields are heading.
Daniel Simpson – Pamlico County Extension

Cooler than average and cloudy weather has slowed the growth of all crops. Small grain and cool season forage height is very short, which is very likely to reduce yields of hay or haylage. A few farmers were able to begin haylage harvest at the end of last week. Corn planting is delayed on many farms and emergence is slow.
Carl Pless – Cabarrus County Extension 

Corn planting increasing as soil dries out. Tobacco growers finally getting to field to set plants. Scattered reports of pythium and collar rot in tobacco greenhouses. Cold temperatures have kept cotton planters idle so far.
Richard Rhodes – Bertie County Extension 

Although there has been very little rain, some fields are still wet enough to prevent planting and other field activities. Plant stands are generally good in corn fields even though we have had major rain events that could have seedling emergence issues. Farmers are working Irish potato and cabbage fields. Much of the wheat is in the flag leaf or heading growth stage. Wheat foliar diseases such as Stagonospora nodorum blotch (SNB) is starting to show up. Wheat crop looks very good at time.
Al Wood – Pasquotank County Extension 

Conditions last weekend were favorable for head scab infection in flowering wheat. Susceptible varieties are at high risk. Producers will know in about 2-3 weeks about the level of infection. Tobacco transplanting continues. Cool nights have delayed the start of cotton planting. Corn planting continues with risk of planting intentions being reduced as the planting window comes to a close
Mac Malloy – Robeson County Extension 

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