Timely Rain Helps Corn And Beans
Trent Brandenburg is happy to have received more than an inch of rain on his dry fields in mid-July. After scouting his crops to determine drought damage, he concluded that the corn pollination hadn’t gotten far enough along to be seriously damaged.
Corn is tasseling, and although it may not be as tall as in some recent years, both corn and beans now look good, he said.
The latest edition of the Illinois Drought Monitor Map issued on July 14, 2022, shows most of Piatt, Douglas, and Champaign Counties in “Severe Drought.” With some rain predicted for the next few days and Saturday night/Sunday, Trent feels safe from too much yield loss due to the recent dry spell. Like the experienced farmer he is, Trent cautions, “There may be hidden damage we can’t see, but right now it looks good.”
More from The Field Report
From Drought To Ponding And Replanting
In barely months, Trent's challenges have gone from extreme drought to repeated ponding and replanting. Trent has replanted some corn and soybeans twice, only to have the ponding return yet again. "I don't think I will try to replant corn [...]
Corn And Soybean Planting Done, Some Germinated, More To Come
Trent Brandenburg is happy to have completed his corn and soybean planting by the 15th of May. "It's slow," he said, commenting on the germination delay by the recent cool temperatures. Moderately heavy rains the last few days have caused [...]
Worked Some Fields, With A Sunny Day Could Begin Planting
Trent Brandenburg has "worked a couple of fields, they're barely ready" after several days of rain last week. "If we get a sunny day tomorrow I could plant some," Trent continued. The long-standing extreme drought in central Illinois has been [...]