Median Planting Date

The "Median Planting Date" product provides simulated estimates of real-time, forecast, and climatological data of dates when planting progress has reached the 50 percent point early in the growing season. An example of the Median Planting Date product in map form is shown below at the county scale for the conterminous US on June 30, 2008. The Median Planting Date product defines the beginning dates for the subsequent crop development products, such as Median Crop Stage.

With each passing day during the early growing season, simulated median planting dates are calculated south to north across the conterminous US. Because the Median Planting Date is intimately related to the Planting Progress product, the same three US crop reporting districts in Illinois (IL50), Iowa (IA20), and Missouri (MO40) can be used as examples. As depicted in the chart below, a solid black line extends horizontally from the 50% point on the vertical axis of the chart. At the intersection point on each of the three curves, the solid black line extends vertically downward to the median planting date. As can be seen on the horizontal axis of the chart, the median planting dates for the crop reporting districts of IL50, IA20, and MO40 were May 6, May 13, and May 17, respectively during the 2008 growing season.

Inter-annual comparisons of Median Planting Dates can indicate historically early or late planting patterns. If differences between years or between a year and the climatological normal are significant, a client can expect to see abnormal patterns in later-season products.