Wet Soil Planting Delay? Too Soon To Tell

Published On: March 26, 2019

Wet Soil Planting Delay? Too Soon To Tell

Trent Brandenburg is not happy about the prospect of “a couple more inches” of rain this week. The soil is already too wet to work, he noted, but there is no standing water. “If it warms up, it will dry out fast,” he observed. So “it’s too soon to tell.” Trent does not expect to plant anything before April tenth “at the earliest.”

Trent sees “corn is more favorable” in prospects for crop revenue return, but he has already committed his fertilizer and crop protection inputs for his previous balance of corn and soybeans. He thinks it’s too difficult to change now. The increase of sunny days will improve his optimism. He looks forward to the spring planting and the annual miracle of the emerging seedlings as far as one can see here on the rich Illinois prairie.

More from The Field Report

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

December 16, 2024|

Trent Brandenburg and his family wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! When asked what a farmer does in December, Trent replied "It's cold!!" Actually, Trent has been finalizing his seed and crop protection chemical orders [...]

Dry Weather Hastens Harvest

October 25, 2024|

September in central Illinois was one-to-three-inches short of average rainfall. Trent Brandenburg took full advantage of the natural drydown and good field conditions to get his crops from the field to the bin. Trent has completed his soybean harvest. He [...]

Not Quite Harvest Time Just Yet

September 18, 2024|

Trent Brandenburg's earliest-planted corn is "about a week away" from drying below 25% moisture. At that level, he could lower his drying expense at the grain elevator. "Now, if there's an incentive..., " Trent indicated that an elevator offering a [...]