Growing degree day information clarifies late planting impact on crop maturity potential

Dennis Stein, and Curtis Talley, Michigan State University Extension -

Growing degree day information may help growers understand the current growing season’s impact on late-planted crops.

Some farms’ fields are just now being planted and some growers are asking the question, “How many growing degree days (GDD) can be expected yet this season?”  Part of that answer may be found on a website that has GDD for several Michigan locations.  This information is posted for average expected GDD June 15 and June 30, which should be helpful for most Michigan farms.  If you have additional acres still to be planted or in some cases replanted, these graphs may help you explore the GDD rating of the crop that is being planted.

This information was compiled by Jeff Andresen, Michigan State University (MSU) Enviro-Weather and put into graphs by Roy Black, MSU Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Economics.  Looking at the GDD averages could give you a perspective on what crop maturity has a reasonable opportunity to mature yet this growing season. 

You can also find detailed additional information for various locations here.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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