As reported by NASS on July 7, 2014
HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS IN SOME AREAS, GENERAL RAIN NEEDED IN OTHERS
Persistent rains over the past two weeks are now showing advantages through steady development of crops, though the cotton crop would benefit from more heat units. Steady rains kept some producers out of the field for a time, but diminished enough for wheat harvest to be completed in a few areas. Continue reading at Crop Progress 7 6 14 .
Our trap lines are indicating low moth activity for corn earworm, tobacco budworm, and southwestern corn borer (link to Excel file). In moth traps this last week, we only caught an average of 7 corn earworms (a.k.a., bollworms) and less than 1 tobacco budworm and southwestern corn borer per trap. Continue reading
I recently posted an article about being on the watch out for fall armyworm infestations in soybean (link here). This is especially important to think about anytime in the next several weeks if grassy weeds are common in a field. However, this also indicates a potentially early start in pastures, and be especially watchful in Bermudagrass. It seems early, but it appears fall armyworms are Continue reading
Unfortunately, due to the weather some soybean fields ran out of residual some time back and post applications have not been able to be applied timely. The question is how we proceed from here? Continue reading
As reported by NASS on June 30, 2014
CROP HARVEST AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS WELL
The warm, dry weather allowed producers to make excellent progress with wheat harvest, which is still reported to show average to above average yields. The warm weather benefitted the cotton crop, which is squaring a rate above last year and the 5-year average. Persistent rains over the past two weeks are now showing advantages through corn starting to tassel ahead of normal. Continue reading at Crop Progress 6 29 14
I was in some early planted soybean today at Milan. These were test plots that were at R2 (full flower), and they were loaded with adult green stink bugs. It is not uncommon to see stink bugs stack up in fields that are much more mature than other soybean fields in the area. Because pods are not present yet, there is Continue reading
As reported by NASS on June 23, 2014
LONG SUFFERING PRODUCERS GET BREAK IN WEATHER
Producers took full advantage of the break in wet weather and made great progress with wheat harvest and soybean planting. Wheat harvest now falls more in line with both last year and the 5-year average, and still indicates strong yields. Continue reading at Crop Progress 6 22 14 .
With calls coming in about weed identification, one weed has been particularly popular this year. Burnweed is an erect summer annual plant that can be found throughout the Midwestern and Eastern parts of the United States. Many folks mistake burnweed for horseweed and indeed from the road it does look like horseweed. Continue reading