News

Early season fruit harvest ramping up

Cooler nights and wet fields are still slowing crop progress in southern Michigan.  USDA NASS reports slightly more than five days were suitable for field work as of Sunday.

Michigan’s corn crop condition is 65 percent good to excellent, down just 1 percent from last week. Soybean condition is 59 percent good to excellent, also down 1 percent, 19 percent of the crop is blooming. Winter wheat is 65 percent good to excellent, unchanged from the week before. Wheat maturity increased 25 percent from last week, now at 51 percent mature. Dry beans are now 96 percent planted with condition rated 52 percent good to excellent, a 4 percent improvement from a week ago. Sugarbeet condition gained another percentage point, now 81 percent good to excellent.

A late blight advisory has been issued to vegetable growers in the west central region of the state. Early blight was seen in potatoes and tomatoes. Sweet corn is in full tassel. Wet, humid conditions have growers on the watch for continued disease pressure.

Strawberry harvest continues in northern growing regions, with quality an issue. Black and red raspberry harvest is underway. Hand harvest of early season blueberries began as well as early to mid-season apricot harvest. Sweet cherry harvest in the south is picking up.