Weather keeps brakes on planting
By Brandy Nance
Originally published 08:45 a.m., April 26, 2008
Updated 08:45 a.m., April 26, 2008
The cold and wet weather has slowed down the crops this year. The middle of this week delivers farmers another blow with even more rain.
Farmers were out in full force early this week trying to get corn in the ground. Brian Rees, of the Lyon County Extension office, said late last week there was very little in the ground because of the wet and cold weather. However, it’s not late if it’s planted the first of May, Rees said.
“There’s just more of an opportunity to run into some pollination issues and it doesn’t make a kernel. ...” Rees said.
Late last week, the ground temperature was barely 50 degrees. Before this week, there were only a few days that farmers could get out and put corn in because of weather conditions.
“The warmer the ground, the faster the corn germinates and takes off,” Rees said. “Cool and damp is not good. It tends to make the seed lay there and rot.”
Gail Fuller, who farms about 2,500 acres, said the rain slowed him down about a week. Fuller plants corn, soybeans and fields for grazing.
“We’re getting caught up this week,” he said Wednesday morning as he was getting ready to head out to the field to put in more corn.
Fuller said he has about three to four more days of planting ahead of him, once the weather permits.
Rees added that the wheat has been growing slowly.
“Which has been a good thing, really,” he said. “You sort of hope that it comes on pretty good. We had a real good looking wheat crop early last year and then it got way too cold.”
Rees cautioned farmers to be on the lookout as it does warm up for signs of disease in the wheat crop. These include foliage disease such as wheat rust and powdery mildew. Some of the diseases can be treated with fungicides, Rees said.