By Blake Jackson
Kentucky experienced below normal temperatures and rainfall over the past week. Precipitation for the week totaled 0.53 inches, 0.3 inches below normal. Temperatures averaged 55 degrees for the week, 2 degrees below normal.
Topsoil moisture was rated 8 percent very short, 41 percent short, 49 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 10 percent very short, 39 percent short, 50 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. Days suitable for fieldwork averaged 5.4 out of a possible seven.
Primary activities for this week included stripping tobacco, seeding winter wheat, and grain harvest. The fall harvest is progressing steadily with little interruption from rain. However, the state is very dry overall, and precipitation would be welcomed for many. New seedings are particularly susceptible and fire hazard grows with the dry conditions. It is of note that there are small pockets of the state that received decent rain towards the weekend.
Seventy-nine percent of corn has been harvested. Ninety-five percent of soybeans are coloring with 84 percent dropping leaves. Fifty percent of the crop is now harvested. The condition of soybeans continues to be mostly good. Thirty-five percent of tobacco has been stripped at this juncture. Housed tobacco remains in mostly good condition.
Winter wheat seedling is 32 percent complete with 10 percent of the crop emerging. Pasture condition is mostly fair to good, but rain would aid regrowth while temperatures are still relatively warm. With hay yields varied, animals will need to graze for as long as possible.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-fotokostic
Categories: Kentucky, Crops