Spring planting underway

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - May has finally arrived, and local farmers are itching to get their crops planted before its too late.

The spring’s inconsistent weather has put many farmers behind schedule, and many are hoping to use the upcoming patch of warm weather to catch up.

“We’re still kind of into that ideal window for corn planting in southern Minnesota, northern Iowa,” said Kent Thiesse, author of Focus on Ag. column. “Ideally you like to get the corn in the ground from about Apr. 20 to May 10 for optimum yields, and we’re in reasonably good shape there yet assuming we can get in.”

While there is still time for planters to get on schedule for the 2023 farming season, there may already be some damage done to some crops that were planted early in the year.

Ag experts say that the spring’s shifting between warm and cold weather could spell bad news for farmers who planted crops in the midst of a warm weather stretch.

“If you had planted the corn during that warm, and there was some corn that went in the ground in that period, when that corn lays a long period, that corn seed in the cold wet soil, sometimes there can be some emergence problems with the corn,” said Thiesse. “Again, we’ll have to wait and see as the corn emerges if that occurred.”

Ag experts also say that the heavy precipitation that was seen all winter and spring should hopefully ease the drought concerns from last year, but that too will be closely monitored as the farming season kicks into full gear.

Copyright 2023 KEYC. All rights reserved.