News

Patience is needed this year

Warmer temperatures have farmers antsy to get started in the field – but an agronomist says we’re still a long ways from that happening.  “As cool as the soils are it’s simply going to take a while to dry out to the point where we can get in to work ground or ultimately to plant field without creating soil compaction,” says Purdue Extension corn specialist Bob Nielsen.

He tells Brownfield it’s likely we’ll see a later start again this year to the planting season.  “I think this spring for the next few weeks the key word is patience,” he says.  “Just try to give these fields a chance to dry out a little bit and get to a point where we can work with them without creating any damage, like soil compaction, that may haunt us for the rest of the season.”

And, he says, planting date by itself is not a predictor of how good or bad a crop may be – it is just one of many things that can influence yields.

AUDIO: Bob Nielsen, Purdue (4:00mp3)