Northwest Iowa Crop Conditions

Here in Northwest Iowa, we are anxiously waiting for spring like weather. We’ve had a cold and somewhat wet late winter / early spring. However, the two-week outlook is much warmer. After three years of drought conditions, wetter than average weather is welcome, but the frozen ground didn’t absorb moisture very well. It will take significantly more rainfall this spring to replenish the soil. The long-range forecasts call for the La Nina weather pattern to end and possibly switch to the opposite pattern called El Nino sometime this summer. The good news is that an El Nino would increase our chances for rainfall this summer along with mild temps on average.

Looking at the forecast, planting activity could possibly start in about 10 days which would be about the average start date for corn. It will depend how fast the soil warms up and how much rain we get before then. We would like to see all the corn planted by mid-May, so there’s plenty of time. Most farm operations can plant all their corn in about a week if the weather cooperates.

Most soybeans are planted after corn in this region, but there is a growing trend of planting soybeans as early as possible to maximize yield. Some farm operations use two planters so they can plant both crops at the same time. Others may choose to plant the soybeans first. Early planted soybeans can have a yield advantage, but there is obvious risk of freeze damage. In this area the average last frost date is around May 10th.