Michigan Experiences Nearly Every Type of Weather This Week

Another cold, wet week across much of the State kept fieldwork to a minimum, according to Marlo D. Johnson, director of the Great Lakes Regional Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service. There were 1.9 days suitable for fieldwork in Michigan during the week ending Sunday.

This week saw nearly every kind of weather imaginable with snow falling in many areas at the beginning of the week, followed by rain and cool drizzle until the weekend, when temperatures rose into the 70s and 80s across much of the State. In the Eastern Upper Peninsula, conditions remain very dry, and water levels in the Great Lakes were down significantly. In the Lower Peninsula, Heavy winds helped to dry lighter soils, but most areas reported soil temperatures were still too low for planting corn or soybeans.

Some oats and potatoes were planted in the west and southwest, along with some sugarbeets in the Thumb and central parts of the State.

More winter wheat greened up this week; some fields have had nitrogen applied, while others are waiting for drier conditions to apply fertilizer.

Other activities included spring tillage, spraying chemicals, and hauling manure where conditions allowed, tending to livestock, and waiting for more springlike conditions to arrive.

The week began colder than normal and ended warmer than normal. The season is off to a slow start. Even with cold weather, including below freezing temperatures, little loss was expected.

Apples on the Ridge were between green tip and 0.25 inch green. Some early varieties were 0.5 inch green. In the Southwest, apples ranged from 0.25 inch green to early first pink. In the West Central, apples ranged from dormant to first green.

Peaches were at calyx green on the Ridge and at red calyx or first pink depending on variety in the Southwest.

Fruit in the Northwest was still dormant.

Blueberries in the Southwest ranged from swollen bud to tight cluster. Green tissue was visible.

Tart cherries in the West Central ranged from dormant to side green.

This report is the fourth Crop Weather report for the 2022 growing season. These reports will cover planting and harvesting activities, crop development, weather data, and timely crop management information provided by farmers, USDA, and Michigan State University experts.