Fort Dodge Messenger, IA
05-24-07
Spring planting wrapping up
By Kristin Danley-Greiner, Farm News staff
Most farmers across Iowa have their corn planted, although some are still
replanting acres due to the heavy rains that fell a few weeks ago—they hoped to
have the rest of their soybean acres drilled this week, too.
Joel DeJong, Iowa State University Extension crops specialist in LeMars,
said almost all of the corn in his area has been planted, except for some acres in
the Missouri River Bottom south of Sioux City. Still, he estimated 75 percent or
more of that land has been planted.
“There were rain problems, lots of washouts in west central Iowa on sloped
ground and standing water areas on the Missouri River Bottom. Those river
bottom sills don’t drain well and this extended time period without rain was
needed to plant and replant where water had stood,î” DeJong said. “But, some of
these emerged corn plants could use a rain to help establish corn nodal root
systems that seem to be slow in getting going due to extremely dry topsoil
conditions. Windy days contribute to this, and wind makes it tough to get
herbicides applied.Ӕ
Darrel McAlexander, a Sidney-area farmer, said he was done planting his corn
near May 5 and had hoped to be done by May 10. But, he did have some
contracted corn flooded out near Hamburg that he had to replant.
“I got that done by the 17th,î” he said. “Corn planting is basically complete in my
area, outside of where the Nishnabotna flooded land. We still got some water
here in the county, probably 22,000 or 23,000 acres were flooded. But, it’s
happened in the past and is nothing new. We’re either real flat and low or
upland.Ӕ
Paul Kassel, Extension field specialist, said the corn is virtually done being
planted in his area, but some replanting is necessary because of crusting and
drowned areas. Dan Thompson, an agronomist with Pioneer in the Fort Dodge
area, said corn planting has wrapped up in many areas, even with the heavy
rains that caused ponding.
“For the most part, the ponds that went down in four to five days did not need to
be replanted,”î he said. “Ponds that lasted more than seven days, as a rule, will
need to be replanted. The heavy rains also caused some heavy soil crusting,
which decreased stands in some areas, but very few replant situations.Ӕ
Soybean planting in DeJong’s area was close to being done earlier this week,
with the remainder of producers wrapping it up this week, weather permitting, he
said. Kassel reported the same scenario in his area, with soybean planting
probably 85 percent done as of earlier this week.
Soybean planting continues in Thompson’s area, with many of the bean acres
already in the ground, he said.
“If the weather holds this week, bean planting should be almost done by the
weekend,”î he said Monday. “I expect most of the planting to be done by
Memorial Day weekend. With rain in the forecast for this week, that may push
that date back until the mid to end of next week.î”
Mick Lane, research communications manager with the Iowa Soybean
Association, said the heavy rains could replicate the higher than normal nitrogen
losses seen in 2004, when similar early spring weather occurred.
“We’re suggesting that growers and agronomists keep an eye on corn and if
there’s any question at all about nitrogen availability, be prepared to pull a late
spring soil nitrate test for the field and follow that up with additional sidedressed
UAN,Ӕ he said.
Unfortunately, pests are starting to become a problem in many areas. DeJong
confirmed bean leaf beetles in some of the early emerging soybean fields in his
area and said a few had been treated.
“A lot of alfalfa fields have been treated for alfalfa weevils from about Highway 3
on south,Ӕ he said.
McAlexander said his area does have bean leaf beetle infestations in early
planted beans and that he’s sprayed insecticide on some of his crops that were
seed beans.
“But we’re doing real well as far as rootworm and cutworm,î” he said.
Thompson said he hasn’t seen much in the way of insect problems, but growers
should be scouting right now for black cutworm feeding.
Most of these sources reported several windy days that have caused problems
for producers, particularly in spraying and applying fertilizer. Thompson said
some farmers were unable to get their pre-emergence chemicals applied and
instead planted in bare soil.
“In this case, the weeds are already emerging and their post application spray
window will likely have to be moved up a couple weeks to compensate,î” he said.
“That means adding a residual chemical to the first post spraying or a second
post application may be warranted closer to canopy closure to ensure that clean
fields come harvest. One thing is for sure—many growers have been really good
at ‘shooting from the hip’ and changing plans and programs to accommodate the
challenges Mother Nature has thrown at us so far this spring.Ӕ