Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 5/18/15


DAYS SUITIBLE FOR FIELD WORK

This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg 

 6.0 6.0 4.9 4.9

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
. VS ST A SS 
Topsoil Moisture 1 19 67 13 
Subsoil Moisture 0 8 79 13
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus

CROP CONDITION PERCENT
VP P F G EX  

 Apples 0 0 42 57 1 

Barley 0 3 24 69 4

Corn 0 4 17 60 19  

Hay 1 4 41 46 8  

Oats 2 7 45 42 4  

Pasture 1 8 38 48 5 

Peaches 1 2 42 49 6 

Tobacco: Flue Cured 0 1 23 68 8 

Wheat 1 10 29 52 8 

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 93 88 95 97
Cotton 42 20 59 64
Peanuts 36 16 44 49
Soybeans 26 12 29 24
Tobacco: Flue Cured 84 71 81 87  
Tobacco: Burley 27 10 34 60  

PHENOLOGICAL:  
Corn % Emerged 84 68 81 89
Wheat % Headed 94 88 93 97
HARVESTED:
Hay 1st cutting 44 24 34 43

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS 

It has been dry in the western piedmont. Cotton and soybean planting are well underway and soon will be completed. Corn is looking good but it could use some rain. Hay made a short crop but the first cutting is completed.
Daniel Overcash – Agronomist Region 11 

Planting continued in the region last week with better field conditions. The southern part of the region could use rain, while the northern part of the region is just now drying enough to plant and work. Tobacco transplanting should be done within the next week and soybean planting has been in full swing this past week. Cotton and corn should be complete, and sweet potato planting is about to get started. Strawberries will probably wind down in the south this week with high temps. Wheat is beginning to dry down as well.
Colby Lambert – Agronomist Region 9 

Corn planting is finished and has emerged and looks to be in good shape. Soybean planting has progressed and some are emerged but sporadically due to cooler soil temperatures. Wheat crop is progressing and starting to grain fill. 1st hay cutting has started and is progressing reports are that it is less than last year. Pastures are thin and struggling many weed issues. Tobacco is progressing and transplanted fields seem to be in good shape though I have seen some transplant replacement work going on in fields. Gary Cross – Person County Extension 

Hay is being cut and baled on dry days. Tobacco is in the ground and looking good.
Taylor Williams – Moore County Extension 

There are very few early peaches in the Sandhills this year. For most growers the earliest will be coming in mid to late June rather than the end of May, as is usual.
Paige Burns – Richmond County Extension

It has been over 3 weeks since most of the County has had rain. Stream flow has been very low all year and is very minimal at present. Dry soil conditions are forcing maturity of small grains. Pasture and hay growth has decreased to almost nothing. Surface soils are too dry for germination of soybeans and summer annual hay or grazing crops.
Carl Pless - Cabarrus County Extension

Parts of Region 3 barely received enough rain from Ana to impact field operations while in other areas growers were unable to reach the field until the end of the week. In some areas rainfall totals reached 6+ inches by noon on Monday. Cotton, soybeans, and peanuts continued to be planted last week. Sweet potato transplanting increased slightly as tobacco transplanting continues to wind down as growers struggle to finish in the wettest fields.
Chris Jernigan – Agronomist Region 3 

Weather conditions have been excellent for field operations and great progress has been made in planting all crops.
Richard Rhodes – Bertie County Extension 

Rainfall from tropical system varied from 2-9" as reported by growers. Mike Carroll – Craven County Extension 

Weather last week allowed for much progress in planting cotton.
Cathy Herring – Central Crops Research Station 

Some full season soybeans are being planted as conditions continue to dry out. Corn is being side-dressed. Wheat is progressing and most if not all tobacco has been set.
Daniel Simpson – Pamlico County Extension 

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