Crop Progress and Condition for the Week Ending October 12, 2014.
Milder temperatures tagged along with fall-like conditions last week. Scattered showers were received later in the week, bringing hail to parts of the Panhandle. Additional moisture was needed to promote poorly emerging wheat stands in North Central Oklahoma. Wheat seeding was winding down in Central Oklahoma. Soybeans and sorghum fields in Central Oklahoma were approaching maturity; good yields and quality were predicted.
According to the OCS Mesonet Ticker, heavy rains drenched the Northeast District with totals as high as 6 inches in some areas. Ponds in that region were reaching the full mark. Average precipitation ranged from 0.74 of an inch in the Southwest District to 3.26 inches in the Northeast District. Temperatures ranged from 99 degrees at Waurika on Tuesday, October 7th to 38 degrees at Mangum on Sunday, October 12th.
Topsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly adequate to short. Subsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly short to very short. There were 5.6 days were suitable for field work.
Small Grains: Wheat seedbed preparation was 92 percent as of Sunday, with 78 percent of wheat seeded and 51 percent emerged. Rye seeding reached 79 percent complete by Sunday. Thirty-three percent of rye had emerged compared to 59 percent on the five-year average. Oat seedbed preparation continued with 69 percent complete by week’s end.
Canola planting was 95 percent complete as of Sunday and 55 percent had emerged.
Row Crops: Corn harvest reached 75 percent complete. Sorghum condition was rated 78 percent good to fair. Sorghum mature was 85 percent complete and 54 percent had been harvested by the end of the week. Soybean conditions were rated 87 percent good to fair and 70 percent of the crop was dropping leaves. Nineteen percent of soybeans had been harvested by week’s end. Peanut condition was rated 93 percent good to fair. Peanuts mature reached 74 percent complete and 32 percent dug by Sunday. Cotton condition was rated 78 percent good to fair. Ninety-four percent of cotton bolls were opening, and 6 percent had been harvested.
Hay: Alfalfa hay conditions continued to be rated mostly good to fair. A fourth cutting of alfalfa hay reached 86 percent complete. A second cutting of other hay was 85 percent complete.
Pasture and Livestock: Conditions of pasture and range continued to be rated mostly good to fair. Rains received later in the week filled some ponds in the Northeast District, while other areas in the state needed more moisture for runoff. Livestock was rated 59 percent in good condition with 28 percent rated as fair. Livestock markets were holding strong.
Weather: Temperatures ranged from 38 degrees at Mangum on Sunday, October 12th to 99 degrees at Waurika on Tuesday, October 7th. Precipitation ranged from 0.74 of an inch in the Southwest District to 3.26 inches in the Northeast District. Soil temperature averages ranged from 55 degrees at Boise City on Saturday, October 12th to 80 degrees at Waurika on Thursday, October 9th.
