Northwest Iowa Crop Conditions

Once again just as field conditions were getting dry enough to finish planting we get more rain last weekend.The trend this spring has been one or two days in the field followed by 4 or 5 days waiting f or the fields to dry. T he wet spring has forced farmers to plant before conditions are fit of ten times just leaving the wet spots hoping to plant them later. Nearly every field of corn and soybeans have areas that are too wet to
plant, washed out from runoff ,or flooded long enough to kill the seedlings. Some of these areas will be re-planted and some won’t. Another issue that could show up this year because of wet conditions are fungal diseases in both crops that could show up any time.

The good news is the rain we had over the weekend was a slow soaker, and it was just what the struggling beans needed to soften up the crust layer caused by the heavy Memorial Day weekend rains. Also the warmer weather we’ve had the last couple of days is pushing the beans to emerge.

The corn is behind and variable in many areas. The stand is generally good except f or areas in fields with washouts or flooding. The corn crop needs some heat and drier weather. By the end of the week planting or re-planting any more corn is questionable.