Crop Variability a Serious Issue This Season
As the planting and replanting season comes to an end and we move into crop development, we find our crops at vastly different stages of development. Dan Ritter, with Brodbeck Seeds, says Indiana fields hold just about everything, “We have corn and soybeans that just got planted this week. We have corn that is entering the V7 growth stage. We have wheat that is a week away from harvest and wheat that is 3 weeks from being ready for harvest.”
Ritter says the warmer weather that is forecast for Indiana over the next week will be welcome for some of our crops, “I think some of our crops will benefit from the warmer weather and the increase in growing degree units. We need this kind of energy to keep this crop growing and moving along. We have some fields that frankly, need a little help.” He added the key will be to also have timely rains, “We don’t need anything else that will stress this crop.”
This week there has been a lot of nitrogen side dressing. However, Ritter says you may want to consider carefully where you put your additional nitrogen, “You may want to focus your nitrogen application on those fields or areas of fields that have good stands and still have the potential to yield well.” He said thin stands or late planted crops may not have the ability to make up yield loss, even with added nitrogen.