The unusually warm Wisconsin weather is just what the crops needed after a cool August. According to the USDA crop progress report for the week ending on August 24, 2017, the second week of hot, dry and sunny conditions gave crops in Wisconsin a needed boost in development.
The temperatures rose into the upper 80s and 90s, which caused crops to mature and dry down rapidly.
The Wisconsin corn silage harvest really took off during the warm conditions as it was reported at 34 percent complete, 7 days behind the average.
The warm weather even prompted some producers in southern Wisconsin to start combining soybeans.It was reported that leaves were turning color on 81 percent of the state’s soybean acreage, 9 days behind last year, and 4 days behind the average. Forty-six percent was reported dropping leaves, 7 days behind last year, and 3 days behind the average. Soybean condition was rated 74 percent good to excellent, 2 percentage points below last week.
Ninety-five percent of Wisconsin’s corn has reached the dough stage or beyond, this is 4 days behind the 5-year average. Eighty percent of the corn has reached the dented stage, 4 days behind the average. Twenty-three percent was mature, 9 days behind the average.
The topsoil moisture supplies were rated 7 percent very short, 22 percent short, 68 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 3 percent very short, 20 percent short, 74 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus.
Thirty-nine percent of Wisconsin’s winter wheat acres were planted following the clearing of fields,this is 11 days ahead of last year. Winter wheat emerged was reported at 18 percent complete, 9 days ahead of last year.
The Wisconsin potato, cranberry, and fall vegetable harvest continued,with the potato harvest reporting 64 percent complete.
The fourth cutting of alfalfa is 8 days ahead of last year with 89 percent complete.
The weather has surly help the maturity of many Wisconsin crops.