Wheat in Tennessee has headed out and a good majority is flowering, which is the main growth stage for applying fungicides for Fusarium head blight (FHB or scab) control. Continue reading
Click on this link for Dr. Aaron Smith’s Weekly Crop Marketing Comments CropComments050313 Continue reading
Cotton Planting Forecast 5/6 to 5/10: For the first time we may have a window to plant cotton! Continue reading
This has been a difficult start to the planting season with weather delays constantly occurring or at least seeming that way. Generally, the best yields are achieved when crops are planted during their recommended time period which is usually their optimum planting window. Planting is a critical farm operation that needs to be done on a timely basis. Planting on a timely basis generally means planting when the soil temperature and soil moisture are at an optimum level. The optimum time period is usually narrow so producers will have some crop planted in less than optimum conditions. This year is seeing the optimum window even narrower because of the weather. Continue reading
With frustration levels running pretty high, some producers have quit planting corn and are looking at other options after this week. Others are watching corn prices and have the intention of continuing on at least through next week. This year has been tough going for all and continued wet weather and cool temps have delayed other crops, but I still think we have time to plant corn on our better ground. Continue reading
Some wheat fields are looking less green than we hoped for but not surprising due to the continued mini-monsoons we keep winding up with. A good bit of the wheat crop is at the flag leaf stage meaning it is too late to add additional N at this point. Continue reading
I’ve had several questions this week about whether an insecticide should be included when spraying a fungicide when spraying wheat. My general response to questions like this is “no”. It is the same question Continue reading
Good News: With a few exceptions, horseweed (marestail) control with burndown applications this spring has been much better than the last couple of years. Continue reading