Oakes Irrigation Research
Site
Carrington Research Extension Center * North Dakota State University
P.O. Box 531, Oakes, ND 58474-0531, Voice: (701) 742-2189, FAX: (701)
742-2700, email: rgreenla@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Table 1. Precipitation and temperature
Table 3. Dates of last and first frosts
Table 4. Irrigation water applied
The winter of 2003 - 2004 was mild with little snow cover. Spring tillage and planting times were about average. The last frost in the spring was on May 14, about two weeks later than average. Summer temperatures were cooler through most of the growing season. The maximum temperature equaled 90°F (32°C) once in April and July, and four times in September. The highest temperature was 91°F (33°C) on July 21. Precipitation was above average in May, September and October, below average in April, June and August, and about average in July. Total annual precipitation was near average. Temperatures were below average in May, June, July and August and above average in April, September and October. The first frost was on October 1 and was also a hard frost. The first frost was 2 days later and the first hard frost was 2 days earlier than the ten-year average. Some crops were adversely affected by the later spring frost and the cooler growing season. Most crops matured before frost. Growing degree units in 2004 were much below average.
Table 1. Precipitation and temperature at the Oakes Irrigation Research Site.
Month |
Precipitation |
Average daily temperatures |
||||
2004 |
15-year average |
25-year average |
2004 |
15-year average |
25-year average |
|
|
---------------- inches -------------- |
------------------ °F ------------------ |
||||
April |
0.29 |
1.61 |
|
45.6 |
43.5 |
|
May |
5.75 |
2.98 |
2.61 |
53.1 |
56.7 |
57.0 |
June |
1.70 |
3.83 |
3.34 |
62.5 |
66.2 |
66.0 |
July |
3.09 |
3.56 |
3.26 |
68.8 |
69.9 |
70.9 |
August |
0.89 |
1.78 |
1.91 |
63.6 |
68.3 |
68.8 |
September |
3.42 |
2.83 |
2.39 |
62.0 |
59.4 |
58.4 |
October |
2.78 |
2.08 |
|
47.2 |
45.8 |
|
The 25-year averages are not available for April and October.
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Table 2. Growing degree units1 at the Oakes Irrigation Research Site.
Month |
2004 |
10-year average |
15-year average |
25-year average |
|
||||
May |
240 |
281 |
309 |
323 |
June |
398 |
493 |
491 |
486 |
July |
581 |
635 |
605 |
625 |
August |
457 |
596 |
582 |
576 |
September |
402 |
373 |
370 |
347 |
|
||||
Total |
2078 |
2378 |
2357 |
2357 |
1Growing degree units = (Tempmax + Tempmin)/2 - 50. If Tempmax is greater than 86, then
Tempmax = 86. If Tempmin is less than 50, then Tempmin = 50. Temperature is in degrees F.
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Table 3. Dates of last and first frosts.
|
2004 |
10-year average |
15-year average |
25-year average |
|
Last frost in spring |
|||||
|
less than 32 °F |
May 14 |
Apr 30 |
May 4 |
May 6 |
less than 28 °F |
May 14 |
Apr 27 |
Apr 28 |
May 1 |
|
First frost in fall |
|||||
|
less than 32 °F |
Oct 1 |
Sep 29 |
Sep 28 |
Sep 26 |
less than 28 °F |
Oct 1 |
Oct 3 |
Oct 3 |
Oct 1 |
|
|
|||||
Frost free period (days) |
140 |
152.2 |
147.0 |
148.4 |
|
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Table 4. Irrigation water applied, 2004.
Study |
Irrigation water applied |
|
|
inches |
|
|
||
Cabbage hybrid performance trial |
9.8 |
|
Cabbage weed control studies |
9.7 |
|
Chinese cabbage hybrid performance trial |
9.3 |
|
Carrot hybrid performance trial |
|
|
|
Baby carrot |
6.1 |
Cut and peel |
6.9 |
|
Cello |
7.7 |
|
Dicing and Jumbo |
11.0 |
|
Carrot weed control study |
10.2 |
|
Field corn hybrid performance trial |
10.3 |
|
Pumpkin variety performance trial |
10.6 |
|
Pumpkin weed control study |
10.6 |
|
Potato early dying studies |
|
|
|
Potato |
9.8 |
Previous crops (average) |
12.0 |
|
Soybean variety performance trial |
10.1 |
|
‘Sugar enhanced’ sweetcorn hybrid performance trial |
9.8 |
|
‘Supersweet’ sweetcorn hybrid performance trial |
10.3 |
|
Sweetcorn following pumpkin cover crop study |
9.8 |
|
Vegetable living mulch studies |
|
|
|
Cabbage |
11.6 |
Carrot |
11.0 |
|
Onion |
11.0 |
|
Potato |
10.6 |
|
Sweetcorn |
10.6 |
|
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