After experiencing several unseasonably warm days this month, we’re hearing reports of farmers who have planted corn.  That just begs the question, “How early is too early to plant?”

There’s no need to rush into the fields.  In fact, years of field research by Iowa State University shows the highest yield potential is with corn planting dates between April 12 and May 8.  To achieve 98% of the corn yield potential, the data shows farmers in northeast Iowa should plant between April 12 and April 30. In northwest, west central, central, and east central Iowa the best time to plant is from April 15 to May 9. In the bottom three tiers of counties in Iowa, farmers need t plant corn between April 17 to May 8 to reach the 98% yield window. This same research shows that planting too early (between March 20 and April 5) or too late (between May 5 and May 20) results in significant yield reduction.

Typically, we recommend farmers wait to plant corn until for soil temperatures are 50° Fahrenheit and until soybeans reach between 55-60 degrees before planting soybeans.  Warmer temperatures are especially critical to protect seedlings.  Soybeans can germinate when soils are about 55 degrees Fahrenheit.  However, if the air temperature after germination hits 20 degrees Fahrenheit or less, the young seeding can be killed with the growing point of the plant right at emergence.

Keep in mind, the weather we’ve experienced in the first half of March is a atypical.  Record-high temperatures and limited precipitation in early March warmed current soil temperatures to levels that we usually see in late April.  Such soil temperatures can be sustained in late April since nearly every day gets warmer as we approach summer.  The situation we’re facing now is that the calendar still reads March.

It’s likely that we’ll experience colder air temperatures yet this spring.  Remember what happened in April 2011?  Rain, snow, and hail fell upon areas of Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin on April 19, 2011.

Farmers should probably think twice – maybe three times – before they head to the field with their planters this spring.  The seed in their shed right now is most likely their first choice for a hybrid.  If farmers have to replant, they may be planting their third or fourth choice for seed products as supplies are tight across the industry. 

With the increase of new technologies in the field, from GPS to RIB, along with factors beyond individual control – from vast changes in weather patterns to fluctuating markets – it has never been more important for seed businesses to stay up to date on changing trends within the industry.

There are many key elements to seed retailers’ “crystal ball” forecasting to help ensure the seed that moves from plan to planter will meet demand. Those qualities I find key to seed companies’ success include:

1. Listening. At Latham, our most valuable relationships are with our customers.  We look to partner with individuals, who can tell us what they’re seeing in their field, and what they’re looking for from a seed company. Whether we’re having a conversation in the field, surveying our customers via iPad, or answering field questions on our blog, we’re listening to the wants and needs of our customers in the field.  Then we adapt what we can to provide a solution that can answer needs before they’ve risen.
2. Planning. It’s critical for companies to utilize available resources in order to lay out a detailed plan for the coming years, whether that plan covers one year or three, it must address important and upcoming needs outlined with customers.
3. Embracing Technology. A company must embrace technologies their customers use or that add value for their customers. One of our favorite uses of technology at Latham is how we’ve been able to add video to our weekly crop reports provided on The Field Position.  Now we don’t just write about how to manage SDS; we go out in the field, show people what it looks like, where it’s most prevalent, and provide tips for avoiding outbreaks.
4. Adding humility and adapting. Companies have to accept that they can’t – and won’t – know it all, and that some elements are truly unpredictable. Adding humility to the mix allows more flexibility to adapt. For 65 years, we’ve focused on serving customers with the best possible soybean seed.  But as the demand for corn grew in our service area, we added hybrid products to our lineup, and have been able to grow every year since. While change is a constant in any industry, we believe one thing will always remain true: those companies that listen to growers and work to answer their needs by offering the best possible product and service will create satisfied customers.

What a difference a week can make!  Iowa farmers can plant slightly more than 20 percent of our state’s corn acres in one good week, according to ISU Extension Corn Specialist Roger Elmore.  This figure is based on the five-year average, which includes one of the fastest planting seasons on record, 2010, and also one of the slowest on record, 2008.

Only 3% of Iowa’s corn acreage had been planted compared with 61% at this time last year, according to the April 25 crop report by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey.  In this week’s crop report, however, reportedly 8% of the state’s corn acres have been planted.

Lots of seed went in the ground over the weekend, thanks to a few dry days with temperatures in the 60s and 70s.  Even better news… soil temperatures statewide are averaging 52 degrees and the short-term forecast calls for a few more dry days with rainfall forecast for the week’s end.

Even if rainfall delays planting later this week, Elmore says there’s still plenty of time to plant corn without significant yield losses. There is no need now to switch hybrid maturities for May planting.  Adapted hybrids adjust to later planting by shortening the time necessary to reach silking.  To view Elmore’s research on the effect of planting date on days to maturing (R6), click here.

With saturated soil conditions and more rain in the short-term forecast, some farmers are talking about switching maturities or even making the switch from corn to soybeans.

Producers are questioning whether longer season maturity hybrids should be swapped for shorter season hybrids, says Iowa State University Extension Corn Specialist Roger Elmore, and the quick answer is “no.”

There are several good reasons why farmers should wait at least until mid-May before making any changes to their current crop plan:

• We’re still within the window of opportunity for maximum yields. Although corn is not being planted as early as last year, it’s still “early.”  There are literally weeks of optimal planting dates remaining.  Since hundreds of acres of corn can be planted in just one good day, take the time to wait for suitable planting conditions.  Iowa State University research shows there is very little yield difference between hybrids planted April 20 and May 20.  Corn planted between April 20 and May 5 resulted in 100 percent yield potential, however, 99 percent yield potential was achieved with a planting date up to May 20.
• Hybrids adjust to delayed planting dates.  Adapted full season corn hybrids can compensate somewhat for later plantings.  As planting is delayed, hybrids shorten the time between planting and silking.  Research shows that development and final yield of these hybrids will not be largely affected unless frost occurs especially early in the fall.  That’s why ISU field agronomists recommend waiting until May 25 before switching to an earlier maturing corn hybrid.
• In general, fuller season corn hybrids out-yield shorter season hybrids. Expected corn prices can significantly affect one’s decision to switch maturities or even crops.  Consider the yield potential and the cost of production before making your final decision.  With corn at $7, it could be worth sticking with a fuller-season hybrid in hopes of increased yield.

For these reasons and more, there’s no need to switch hybrids at this point.  Patience is the key word this planting season!

Farmers, who are concerned with getting their crops planted early, don’t need to panic yet!  We’re still well within the window of opportunity to achieve optimal yields.

“Early planting” is really a subjective term.  Some farmers define it as getting corn in the ground on April 15; others define it as getting corn planted by April 30.  However, during my 32 years as an agronomist, I’ve learned that the date on the calendar isn’t nearly as important as the seedbed conditions at the time of planting and the short-term forecast that follows.

The years when farmers have achieved the best yields are when they had the best planting conditions and the best weather in the days that followed.  Soil need only reach 50 degrees for corn to germinate, but it must be able to maintain that 50 plus-degree temperature for an extended period to encourage proper seed growth and plant development.

The unseasonably cold weather that we’ve experienced over the past two weeks has caused most soil temperatures to actually decrease.  That’s why corn planted on April 15, 2011, isn’t guaranteed to out-yield corn that will be planted on May 5.

Waiting for soil conditions to reach – and maintain – 50 degrees Fahrenheit for corn and 55-60 degrees for soybeans will help with emergence and will contribute to better seedling development and overall plant health.  For these reasons and more, it pays to plant when conditions are better suited.

Shannon Latham was recently interviewed by Mark Pearson for The Big Show regarding planting dates and the best steps growers can take now to help achieve optimal yield. Click the link below to listen to the interview.

Shannon Latham Discusses Planting Dates with WHO Big Show

As Shannon said, patience is key this season. At Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, we know first-hand that waiting is easier said than done.  We’re still waiting to plant, too!

There has been much talk recently about the wet, cold planting conditions throughout the country.  On Saturday, a TV reporter said that only 2% of Iowa’s corn crop was planted as compared to the 16% that had been planted by the same time last year.

The percentage of corn in the ground by April 22 doesn’t mean the 2011 corn crop won’t be another bin-buster.  Keep in mind that last spring’s soil and weather conditions allowed farmers to plant more acres much earlier than the norm.  On average, only about 7% of Iowa’s corn acres has been planted at this time of year.

It’s easy to compare present conditions to just one year ago, so let’s take a minute to reflect on what happened in 2008.  Spring rains in Iowa that year resulted in saturated soils, cool soil temperatures and soil conditions that were less than ideal for planting.  Iowa State University Extension Corn Specialist Roger Elmore said, “Many farmers were guilty of ‘mudding in’ some corn that year.  The penalty: reduced yields.”  Click here to read Iowa State’s Integrated Crop Management NEWS from May 2008.

It’s documented:  Reduced yields result from planting under conditions that are too wet and too cold. Keep this in mind the next time someone says, “It pays to plant early.” And then chides you because your planter isn’t yet rolling.

“Regardless of calendar date, producers should wait for suitable seedbed conditions and the short-term forecast calls for pleasant weather,” advises Elmore.

Remember that although you may not have your corn planted as early as last year, it’s still “early.”  There are literally weeks of optimal planting dates left, and on average, farmers need only one week or less to get all of their corn acres planted.

You can afford to take the extra time to wait for seedbed conditions to improve.  In fact, exercising patience now will mostly likely pay dividends this fall.  When conditions are far less than ideal, it pays more to wait!

Like any other soybean farmer, Chris Gaesser is watching the soil temperatures and waiting patiently for planting conditions to improve.  Unlike most other soybean farmers, however, he’ll be planting edamame in his plot.

“Growing edamame is a lot like growing any other type of soybeans.  We’re shooting for soil temperatures between 55 and 60 degrees with a target planting date of May 10,” says Chris, who farms in southwest Iowa near Corning, with his father, Ray.

Last year the Gaessers planted a garden plot of edamame that was three rows wide, 22 inches apart and 100 feet long.  This year they’re planning to do the same.  The Gaesser’s plot will be showcased by The Soyfoods Council later this summer.  Food editors and top chefs from across the nation will be invited to pick fresh edamame and to create new dishes.

“We enjoy trying to new things to promote agriculture, food production and soybeans in general,” says Chris.  “It’s fun to meet new people.  And who knows, maybe we’ll even help create a niche market.”

Photos are courtesy of the Soyfoods Council.