There are 1,000 variables each growing season that will determine how much grain gets produced.  Seed selection, planting conditions, tillage choice, nutrient management, as well as the amount and timing of precipitation top the list.

While the weather is out of your control, there are many things you can control in order to position yourself for a successful growing season.  The following four variables could have more impact on your crop’s performance than anything else this year:

Planting Date Iowa State University research shows very little yield difference between crop planted April 20 and May 20.  For example, corn planted between April 20 and May 5 resulted in 100 percent yield potential.  However, 99 percent yield potential could still be achieved with a planting date up to May 20.

Soil Temperature Soil temperatures yesterday, according to Iowa State University’s four-inch soil temperature maps ranged from 40 degrees in the northwest and southeast corners of Iowa to 45 degrees in the south central part of the state.  We recommend waiting until soil temperatures in a region reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit before you plant corn and between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit before you plant soybeans.

Soil Compaction The ability to compact a soil increases as the soil water content increases, so soils that are at or near field capacity this spring are more susceptible to compaction.  Delay fieldwork when soils are wet to avoid unnecessary compaction.

Planting Speed As farmers continue to increase their acres, the tendency is to use bigger equipment and to go faster.  This University of Wisconsin study shows that planting at higher speeds will decrease the accuracy of seed placement and thereby decrease yields.  I recommend planting between 4½ – 5½ miles per hour to optimize seed placement which should allow for better stands and higher yields.

The great news is that farmers are in the driver’s seat!  Avoid planting in subpar conditions, when soils are too wet or too cold to provide optimal growing conditions for seed.  Although new seed technologies can work wonders, there isn’t a one that can work a miracle!  Patience now will pay off with bigger yields this fall.

The temperature has started heating up, and the anticipation of spring planting is around the corner has arrived.  To help ensure you get the best from your crop this year, I wanted to provide a few tips to consider both for planting preparation and for plant health as you head into the field this spring.

Soil Testing: The first step to ensure a successful season is to make sure your field has the proper nutrients. If you didn’t have a soil test done in the fall, there’s still time to have one done yet this spring. Remember, the benefits of soil testing far outweigh the costs. Lack of fertilizer, or applying inadequate amounts of nutrients can cause fertility levels to drop when hungry crops are feeding. The best practice is to sample every field, every year, to establish consistency and trim overall fertilizer costs.  If you grid sample, the higher costs and greater accuracy of that system allow for less frequent sampling – most recommend every 3 or 4 years.

Planting Date/Soil Conditions: Remember to base your planting date on the readiness of the soil versus the date on the calendar. Ideal soil temperature is no less than 50 degrees for corn.   Wet soils cause trouble from the beginning; compaction resulting from wet soil can kill root growth. For soybeans, fungicide-treated seed is a must to prevent damping off from Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Phytopthora and Fusarium. For corn, treated seed is a must for Pythium, seed corn maggots, wireworm and no-till. Click here for additional planting date tips.

Fertility: I recently posted some tips for managing nutrients in your soybean crop, including N, P and K, and secondary nutrients like Calcium and Sulfur. You can read those posts at the links below to learn more about how to balance nutrient levels in your soybean crop to help ensure plant health.

Fertility Levels Key to Raising Top Soybeans

Fertility Levels Key to Raising Top Soybeans Part 2

You know better than anyone that there are an incredible number of variables that can affect plant health and overall yields.  Addressing what challenges may come now versus down the road will help ensure a successful season in a year that holds the promise of record returns.

Please feel free to comment if you have any questions that we may be able to help answer as planting nears.

South Central Iowa

Travis Slusher reports that corn is 100% planted.  Soybean planting is nearly finished in the northern half of his region and about 50% done in the southern half.  South Central Iowa received 2½ to 3 inches of rain last week along with some cool temperatures.  There was isolated frost injury for corn in the northern region, but with warmer temps and more sun, it should grow out of it.  However, Headline® fungicide may need to be applied to those corn acres.  Corn that was planted April 12 is at the V2 stage, and a few of soybeans are at the VE to VC stages.

Northwest Iowa

Bruce Anderson reports that corn planting is done and soybeans are anywhere from 50-75% done.  Weather forecasts show no rain this week, so all soybean acres should be planted by the end of this week or early next week.  Last week’s rain and this week’s sunshine have created ideal conditions.  The sunshine should help some corn green up again.  So far, Bruce hasn’t yet seen any soybean emergence.

North Central Iowa

Tom Larson reports a delay in planting and emergence due to last week’s frost followed by cool, wet weather that slowed down any damage done by the frost.  Some of the earliest planted soybeans were replanted.  Corn stands were reduced, primarily in areas where temperatures dropped below 32 degrees.  With the growing point still below ground, the biggest concern now is whether new growth will be able to push through the dead tissue.  There may also be problems with new tissue that is unable to emerge and becomes bound up inside the dead tissue.  This week will tell the story as to the severity of the tissue.

Central Iowa

Bart Peterson reports that corn is 100% planted and at the VE to V2 stages.  Soybeans are at the VE stage.  North Central Iowa got hit by frost last week; now is good time to check whether your fields are recovering.  About three to five days after a frost event, dig plants and split their stems to make an assessment. Healthy plant stems will have cream to yellow colored tissue above the growing point. Brown discoloration in the tissue about the growing point signifies pathogen invasion and impending plant death.  Be sure to consider all factors carefully before replanting. For more information, check out www.extension.iastate.edu/cropnews.

South Dakota

Bill Eichacker reports that Southwest Minnesota is nearly done with planting both corn and soybeans.  Corn is at VE stage in Southwest Minnesota.  In his South Dakota area, 75% of the corn acres and 20% of soybeans have been planted.  His area received up to four inches of rain over the last two weeks, but warmer and drier weather this week should drastically change crop progress.

East Central Iowa

Brad Beatty reports last week’s weather was cold and wet, with his area receiving up to 3¾ inches of rain.  Corn in his region is 92-94% planted and the soybeans are 65% planted.  Corn is anywhere from VE to V2 stages; very few beans having started to emerge yet.  Now warm weather and heat units are needed to boost plant growth.  This week soybeans are being planted heavy and some farmers are spraying.  The first cutting of hay is taking place.

Southeast Iowa

Wayde McNeil reports that nearly 100% of all corn and soybean acres have been planted.  Corn is at the V1 stage and soybeans are not quite emerging yet.  After last week’s cool, wet conditions, things should green up and emerge this week.  While scouting fields late last week and early this week, he’s seen 30% frost damage to the corn north of Highway 30 and only 5-10% in the acres south of Highway 30.  He’s seeing some indication of wireworms (see right- hand image) in the region. The good news is that although he’s seen wireworms, he has not seen any damage.  The Poncho 250 seed treatment is doing its job!

Wayde reports replanting may need to be done, especially because soybeans are trying to emerge through hard crusted soils.

Replanting will be needed in areas of his corn and soybean fields where water is standing.

Central Iowa

Bob Collins reports it is wet. His area received 3 inches of rain in 24 hours, last Tuesday to Wednesday. Most of the beans are in and all the corn is planted.  Emergence has been good.

Kevin Meyer’s area is also wet. He reports 90% of beans are in and all the corn has been planted. None of the beans have emerged, but the corn emergence looks good. Last week’s frost killed very little corn. Some corn is turning yellow.

Northeastern Iowa

Nick Benson reports that last week’s cold weather prohibited crop growth.  His area didn’t receive as much rain as the rest of the state, but they did receive 2.5 inches Wednesday night. Eighty-five percent of the corn is planted and some got nipped by the frost. About 30-40% of the beans are in the ground. Nick did not have any crusting issues. He’ll give an update on emergence this week since the weather is warmer.

Northern Missouri

Rick Foster reports that his area is extremely wet.  Everything came to a stop in his area, as well. About 93% of the corn is planted.  The wet, cold weather created problems will results in some replanting. A few beans have been planted.  Those that have emerged are looking good.

Minnesota

Jason Obermeyer reports everything came to a halt for a week due to rain. Beans are over 80% planted. Emerged beans have severe damage due to the wide spread frost. All the corn is in and the stands looked good, although some of it suffered frost damage.

Wisconsin

Steve Bailie reports the southern part of the state got 3-4 inches of rain last week. The frost killed very few fields. About 85% of the corn is planted with great emergence, but the there is a lot of yellow corn. Nearly 60% of beans are planted in the state. Some farmers who have had their beans in the ground for 2 weeks are worried about seed rot. Alfalfa looks beautiful in his area. They had great soil conditions for planting and now they just need Mother Nature to play its role.

Central Nebraska

Steve Edwards reports that 100% of the corn has been planted in his area.  Eighty percent of the beans have been planted in the eastern part of his area and about 40% are in on the western part of his area.  Southeast Nebraska farmers have 100% of their soybeans in the ground. They haven’t had any problems with frost, but they did have some crusting issues.

As a kid, I couldn’t wait for the warm spring weather to produce wild asparagus and mushrooms.  I loved trekking through the woods, in search of morels, with my dad.  I also loved traipsing through the road ditches in search of tender, young asparagus.  Most of all, I looked forward to eating my fill of both!

My favorite way to eat morels is dipping them in eggs, rolling them in crushed saltine crackers and frying them in real butter.  If you’re lucky enough to find some yet this spring, a slew of recipe ideas is available at http://thegreatmorel.com/recipes.html.

While this year’s mushroom season is coming to an end, there is still asparagus to be harvested. One of my favorite uses for asparagus is in a casserole with ham and noodles.  This easy-to-make recipe is perfect for a formal Sunday brunch or a casual weeknight supper.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.  Also feel free to share your favorite asparagus recipes with me.  I’d love to try some new ways to fix asparagus – maybe I’ll even find one my kids will eat!

Asparagus and Ham Casserole

Ingredients

1 slice white bread (or ½ c. bread crumbs)

3 3/4 c. uncooked extra broad egg noodles

2 ½ c. sliced asparagus (1 ½”)

¼ c. all purpose flour

½ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 c. whole milk

1 c. chicken broth (fat free, less sodium)

1 T. butter

¾ c. onion, finely chopped

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 ½ c. cubed ham (1/2” square – about 8 oz)

¼ c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 T. grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place bread into food processor, pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form to measure ½ cup.

Cook pasta in boiling water 7 minutes, omitting salt and fat in water. Add asparagus, cook 1 minute. Drain.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Place flour, thyme, salt and pepper into medium bowl. Gradually add milk and broth, stirring with a whisk until well blended.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, sauté 4 minutes. Add milk mixture, cook until thick (about 4 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Combine pasta mixture, milk mixture, ham and parsley in a large bowl, spoon into a 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden.

“Early planting” has taken on a new definition for many farmers this spring as unusually warm, dry weather allowed them to finish planting corn in record time. It’s also causing some farmers to question how early to plant soybeans.

Benefits of early planted soybeans, defined as late April or early May planting, have shown to outweigh potential risks in some university studies. Research by Iowa State University shows the optimal planting dates for soybeans – if soil conditions are suitable – in the southern 2/3 of the state is the last week of April and the first week of May for the northern 1/3 of Iowa. Seventy-nine percent of the time planting in late April or early May resulted in higher yields than soybeans planted around May 20.

When determining how early to plant, the potential benefit of yield gain must be weighed against the potential risks. Planting seeds in cool soils can delay emergence and predispose soybean plants to seedling diseases. The ideal soil temperatures for soybeans is 77 degrees Fahrenheit; germination may be delayed by three weeks if the soil temperature at two inches is about 50 degrees. Cool soil temperatures may also slow root development and make seedlings more susceptible to root rotting pathogens that can cause “damping off”.

Early planting may also predispose soybean plants to infection by Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS). To reduce the risk of SDS infection, choose soybean varieties with good tolerance to that disease. Also be aware of whether the field in which the soybeans will be planted has a history of SDS.

Recent conversation on Farmers for the Future centered around a very good question: just how early is too early to plant corn?

Since the 1970s, the time for planting corn in the spring has moved up 10 to 14 days. The ability to plant earlier is mainly attributed to advances in plant breeding and seed treatments, and perhaps, changes in climate.

A recent article in “Top Crop Manager” states that planting dates vary from April 15-24 across the Corn Belt, depending on soil conditions. Although breeding and seed treatments have allowed for earlier planting, it’s still a good idea to watch the weather. Seed is most vulnerable during its first few days in the soil, so you certainly don’t want to put it in unfavorable conditions early on.

One tip included in this article involves grabbing a clump of soil and watching how easily it crumbles. If the soil stays in a ball, conditions are not right for planting. If it crumbles easily, the soil is fit for planting.

It’s also very important to look at farm insurance policies as they relate to planting dates. Make sure you have looked at the specifications for the “do not plant before” dates — if you plant outside those dates, your insurance coverage could be jeopardized.

In the end, when you plant is truly is a judgment call based on weather and soil conditions. You know your fields better than anyone. And as the article states, it’s very rare that judgment leads a farmer too far beyond the limits.

To read more of the “Top Crop Manager” article, click here. For a helpful table provided by the University of Nebraska Extension on planting dates, click here.