Several farmers reminded me last week that they were not at all surprised with recent cold damp weather conditions. True, we enjoyed dry enough soil conditions to make great planting progress through much of April and into early May. Maybe we expected weather to continuously offer extensive planting windows through the middle of May. Of course that did not happen. Instead, we received our usual 2-3 weeks of lousy weather after early planting opportunities.

Indeed, a hard freeze the morning of May 10 and previous cold regressions had slowed germination and emergence to a snail’s pace. We heard of early April seeded corn being “frosted off” at least twice in low lying areas. In reality, since the growing point remained below the soils surface, farmers expected corn seedlings to have the ability to generate new leaf tissue. However, frequent rain events and poor growing conditions allow disease organisms the opportunity to enter the plant through damaged leaves. That has created concerns among farmers and seed suppliers.

Stand loss in emerged soybeans was reported in areas along drainage ditches, low lying pockets and tire tracks. Occasionally, even within the same row some plants looked fine, with adjacent plants killed by low temperatures. If any auxiliary bud remained viable, recovery was possible, but plants would be more susceptible to disease. If frozen below the cotyledons, the plant is done.
Many farmers, Certified Crop Advisors and others walked countless fields late last week and early this week. Determining the adequacy of plant stands is important when gearing up for our next fieldwork opportunity. Not only will everyone want to finish remaining fields planned for corn and soybeans, they also want to redo areas of fields as needed.

I recall the answer of a good number of farmers encountered the first week of May when asked the question, “How far along are you with planting?” Many responded, “I have all of my corn planted … the first time!” Nervousness is now setting in as we are now past the middle of May.

As you are evaluating plant stands and checking for pest problems, remember that an 80 percent stand of relatively even spaced plants probably have about the same yield potential of a field planted next week. Finishing other acreage may be a higher priority than redoing a field already up and growing.

Wheat fields were heading rapidly with warm days late last week. Our wheat fields have promising yield potential at this point. Scouting fields for disease infestation may pay generous dividends, either by use of fungicides when and where needed, or by saving the cost of the material if not needed.

Remember, for foliar disease management (powdery mildew, Septoria, Stagonospora and Rust) fungicides are usually not needed when resistant varieties are grown. An updated list of fungicides registered for wheat disease management can be found on the field crops disease website at www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ohiofieldcropdisease/wheat/OFCDwheatfungicides.pdf
Lots of hay fields were harvested as haylage or baled silage early in May, with some stands over two feet in height. Those fields need to be watched for insect feeding as plants regenerate. Hay not yet made should be harvested if insect populations exceed economic threshold. Pure grass stands or legumes mixed with grass should be harvested as soon as possible. With grasses headed or heading, quality is dropping fast.

As we look forward to sidedressing corn, please remember the attractiveness of anhydrous ammonia tanks to methamphetamine (meth) production. Having tanks delivered on a just-in-time basis, parking them near buildings and planning a regular monitoring of such tanks can help reduce the likelihood of theft.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Roger Bender may write to him in care of this publication.