In the PANHANDLE, temperatures were above average early in the week before returning to near-normal by week's end. Much of the Panhandle received rain, ranging from a tenth to nearly an inch. Soil moisture is rated adequate to surplus for most of the area. Corn planting is expected to proceed now that soil temperatures have reached fifty degrees and higher.
Wheat is making excellent growth. Some isolated hail damage has been reported. Range conditions are rated mostly fair but improving. Recent rain and warm temperatures have allowed excellent green-up in most areas, and most cattle are in fair to good condition
In the SOUTH PLAINS, more rain was received this week, with accumulations ranging from a half to six inches Some counties received gravel- to marble-sized hail. Soil moisture is adequate. Field work has been put on hold until fields have dried out. Winter wheat is in good condition and continues to rapidly grow. Pastures and ranges are in fair to good condition and cattle are doing well with no supplemental feeding reported.
The ROLLING PLAINS received some much-needed rain, bringing hope to producers for grain fill in the wheat crop. Insect pressure remained low. Pastures are really greening up and looking good. Landscape and range trees are blooming and leafing out – including mesquite. Land preparation continues as producers prepare to plant cotton and grain sorghum. Some producers with grass are beginning to buy replacement cows. Stock tanks remain low.
In the NORTHERN part of the state, soil moisture was across the board – from short to adequate to surplus. Some areas received rain, and stock ponds are filling. Warm spring weather and moisture has resulted in ideal growing conditions for cool season forages, spring-planted crops and gardens. Corn planting is nearly complete and about fifty percent emerged.
Winter wheat is in good condition. Sorghum and soybean planting will begin this month, as is usual, but in some areas producers are ahead of schedule with about one-fourth of the crop already planted. Ryegrass pastures are doing well, which has taken some of the pressure off cattle producers who have had to feed hay since last summer because of the drought.
In EASTERN Texas, vegetable growers are preparing land and planting watermelons, tomatoes and squash. Crops are looking good at this time. Clover and ryegrass are doing extremely well, and sprigging of bermudagrass has begun. Cattle are in fair to good body condition. Hay feeding continues, along with supplemental feeding. With recent heavy rainfall, most ponds and lakes are at capacity. Cattle remain in good condition.
In FAR WEST Texas, soil moisture ranged from very short to adequate across most of the region. The exceptions were Crockett, Reagan and Val Verde counties that received anywhere from one half to six-and-a-half inches of rain. Range and pasture conditions are in very poor to good condition. Winter wheat is in very poor to good condition. Oats are in fair to good condition. Scattered rainfall reported across the district. Hail was reported in Reeves and Loving counties, with some damage to young alfalfa.
Many counties in the WEST CENTRAL region reported substantial rain for the week, and the result is soil moisture is now rated as excellent. Field activity came to a halt because of the wet conditions. Wheat is making good growth. Some hay fields have been sown and are emerging; others should be sown as fields dry out. Many farmers are fertilizing improved pastures. Range and pastures are recovering. Spring green-up is in full swing. Stock tanks have filled with runoff. Supplemental feeding of livestock continues. Pecan spraying is picking up as bud break occurs.
The CENTRAL Texas region received heavy rains across this week, with mass flooding reported down the Brazos River. Some replanting will have to be done by farmers. Corn should be fine except in the creek bottoms or low areas where flooding washed away the topsoil. Not much disease noted in wheat yet. Rains have helped range and pasture conditions by increasing forage available to cattle.
In the SOUTHEAST, winter annuals are flowering, ryegrass is headed, and bermudagrass is starting to show some growth. Rainfall amounts this week were two to three inches.
Fields have been too wet to finish planting corn, and more rain is expected. However, the weather has allowed for some drying in the fields. Extension agents said the rain will help get hay and other crops – including rangeland forages – off to a good start.
Much of the SOUTHWEST part of the state got nearly two inches of rain, which was above the long-term average for March. Some areas, including Medina and Guadalupe counties – got from four to eight inches. The rain – along with high winds – caused some wheat and corn to lodge, but fields are expected to recover. Most of the region is green, but the soil profile in much of the southwest part of the region remains very dry. Corn, sorghum, wheat, oats, cabbage, onions, pickling cucumbers and potatoes are making good progress. Wheat and oat plantings are down significantly due to the very dry fall and winter. Cotton planting is gaining momentum.
COASTAL BEND producers saw rainfall and high winds with blowing sand. In some areas, excessive rainfall delayed plantings, and some existing crops may have to be replanted. Most ranchers and farmers' fields are also in good shape, however, with producers restocking with replacement females as green grass is plentiful.
In the SOUTH, soil moisture conditions throughout the region have been reported as short to mostly adequate. Dryland wheat and oats benefitted from scattered showers this week, as has sorghum. Crops in Cameron County have been progressing well. Hidalgo County reported the harvesting of onions is under way, and the harvesting of sugarcane, vegetables and citrus is continuing. The Starr County onion harvest is under way, and row crops are progressing well. The valuable green forage for livestock has improved and will help eliminate some supplemental feeding by mid-week. Livestock condition has improved from the increase of green forage.
From Texas Cooperative Extension, this has been your weekly crop and weather report. From Overton, Texas, I'm Robert Burns
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