Crop Report: Warmer weather for WA
An Adams County wheat field after harvest in late 2021. Farmers are working on bringing fields back to life as spring planting continues, but reports show Adams County needs a bit more rain for a healthy winter wheat harvest this year.
FILE PHOTO
OLYMPIA — There were 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington from April 8 to April 14, up from 5.1 days suitable the previous week.
Western Washington saw a little precipitation. Crops were progressing a bit ahead of schedule.
In Whatcom County, blueberries were budding and raspberries were filling out. Fieldwork started, and grass showed good growth.
The Yakima Valley experienced overnight temperatures below freezing, and daytime temperatures warmed over the weekend. Pear and sweet cherry trees in the upper valley were in full bloom and apple trees began blooming. The lower valley had pears, plums and cherries in various stages of petal fall. Apple varieties were mostly in bloom in this area. Some orchards were grafting over to new varieties. Asparagus harvest continued. Most vegetable fields had been worked up, with some producers preparing fields with black plastic and irrigation. Field crews were observed laying down irrigation for hop yards and burning back hop bines in other yards to extend or delay the hop harvest.
Pend Oreille and Spokane Counties observed some fieldwork, although only a little was planted to crops for the week. Spraying began on winter wheat. Calving was wrapping up, and ranchers were considering spring turnout.
Winter wheat needed more rain to improve crop conditions in Adams County.