Tennessee experienced mild temperatures and variable rainfall last week. Some counties received decent precipitation over the weekend, continuing to aid in pasture growth and seeded crop emergence. With dry weather for most of the week, however, many producers made good progress on corn and soybean planting as well as starting cotton. Ample rainfall and moderate temperatures have kept pasture and wheat growth strong. Producers will be looking to spray wheat crops for disease as conditions allow, but thus far, stands are looking promising. Some counties to the far northwest entered D0 abnormally dry conditions and could use a bit of precipitation, but soil moisture levels remain adequate for the time being.

Statewide, there were 4.6 days suitable for fieldwork last week. Topsoil moisture was 1 percent very short, 4 percent short, 82 percent adequate, and 13 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was 1 percent very short, 6 percent short, and 77 percent adequate, and 16 percent surplus.

CROP PROGRESS

Apples (blooming) – 77 percent this week, 61 percent last week

Corn (planted) – 31 percent this week, 13 percent last week

Corn (emerged) – 5 percent this week

Cotton (planted) – 1 percent this week

Soybeans (planted) – 17 percent this week, 8 percent last week

Winter Wheat (jointed) – 86 percent this week, 71 percent last week

Winter Wheat (headed) – 36 percent this week, 11 percent last week

CONDITIONS

Strawberries – 2 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 62 percent good, and 11 percent excellent

Pasture – 1 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 56 percent good, and 9 percent excellent

Winter Wheat – 3 percent poor, 14 percent fair, 58 percent good, and 25 percent excellent