Northwest Iowa Crop Conditions

Planting progress is ahead of normal despite below average temperatures. Roughly 75% of corn and 20% of soybeans are planted. Soil temperatures are still cool and dry as of today (around 50 degrees at 4 inch soil depth), but the 10-day weather outlook is finally showing normal to above normal temperatures which is exactly what we need. At the same time, rainfall amounts through mid-May are forecast to be above average. I expect nearly all the corn will be planted by the end of the week before the next round of rainfall. The benefits of somewhat dry soil during planting include: less compaction, improved planter performance, healthy root shape & depth, and less seedling diseases. Of course, we will need average or better rainfall before it gets hot this summer. Overall, I’d say we are set up for a very good start to this growing season.

The first planted corn has already been in the ground for three weeks, and it looks like it will be another week or so before it emerges. In perfect warm soil, corn can emerge in as little as five days, but we’d have to wait until June for conditions like that. Waiting four weeks for emergence is certainly not ideal, but it’s also not uncommon or alarming for April planted corn. The corn seeds I have dug up recently have a short but healthy initial root and stem. Today’s treated seed hybrids with a good germination score provided by the seed companies can tolerate cold stressed environments like we’ve had this year surprisingly well, I don’t expect any widespread stand issues at this point.

Soybean planting will really speed up this week as more farmers finish their corn. If we don’t get too much rain over the next two weeks, most planting will be completely finished by mid-May which is well ahead of average. Soybean yields can benefit from early planting. However, it’s worth noting we have had areas of frost damage in late May during the last two years in a row. Temperatures at or below 28 degrees can kill young soybean plants.