Another Ideal Week for Crop Development
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 -- 9:35 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -Conditions were nearly ideal for making hay and other fieldwork during the past week across the state, as temperatures were in the 70s and low 80s.According to the latest crop/weather report by the Wisconsin Ag Statistics Service, abundant sunshine also pushed crop development along, though late planted corn and soybeans need more heat to reach maturity. Farmers also kept busy hauling manure and seeding fall crops on cleared fields. Topsoil moisture levels was rated one percent very short, 14 percent short, 79 percent adequate and six percent surplus. As of Sunday, nearly half of the state's corn had reached the dough stage. That's still 12 days behind last year and nine days behind average, but still an improvement from the previous week. Eleven percent of corn was dented and 61 percent was rated good to excellent. About 88 percent of the soybeans were blooming--19 days behind where they should be at this point in the summer.
Seventy-three percent of the beans were setting pods and three percent showed color in its leaves. Reporters say the winter wheat was 94 percent harvested, nine days slower than in 2018 and a week behind normal. Ninety-four percent of oats were coloring or beyond, with 66 percent of that crop now through the harvester. And the second cutting of alfalfa hay nearly finished, with third crop at 69 percent harvested. Farmers have seven percent of the fourth crop cut, which is 11 days behind the five-year average.
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