Southeast Iowa Crop Conditions

Favorable growing conditions have been received southeast of Storm Lake and the crops have responded. Corn has shot up to around 6 feet tall in most areas. The earliest planted corn will be tasseling sometime in the next week to 10 days. Some areas, subsoil moisture levels remain short but timely rain almost on a weekly basis since the early part of June has helped push these crops forward. Less common, drought stress could be found during the heat of the day on lighter soils in some pockets during the week of June 12th.

Soybeans have now entered into reproductive stages of development. Most soybeans are between 8 to 14 inches tall in full bloom stage. Soybeans seem stagnant due to their size compared to corn but they are also rapidly growing. Most planned herbicide applications for soybeans have been completed.Waterhemp continues to be the main target weed during post-emerge herbicide applications and the most difficult to control.Touchup or unplanned whole field applications is becoming more common.

The USDA issued their June acreage report today. Corn acres came in around 2.2 million above trade estimates while soybean acres were 4.168 million below trade estimates. The markets have responded as expected with corn trading heavy and soybeans up big. Weather will be back in the driver’s seat again next week.