logan.vaughn's blog

Early spring growth has led to alfalfa harvest beginning 2 to 3 weeks earlier than normal this year. Although there is potential for an extra cutting due to the early timing of the first cutting, there are several factors to consider for this year’s crop.

Growth of vegetation has been fast this spring. A month of higher than average temperatures has producers concerned about the effect of an early frost on alfalfa and other crops. The great weather in March and the early spring could be ruined by a frost. Many crops are three weeks ahead of normal, and could be damaged if a frost or freeze occurs, and temperatures stay below 32 degrees for more than an hour. The warmest March on record has caused alfalfa growth to be way ahead on normal.

Harvest is wrapping up in Minnesota and is in full swing for Wisconsin this fall. Weather provided plenty of difficulties during the spring as several fields were not planted until late May and June. The summer and fall brought a lot of heat and in some areas very little precipitation. An early hard frost on September 15th in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin created even more challenges before harvest. There is no way to generalize crop performance or progress as conditions varied drastically throughout both states.

Nitrogen fertilizer is one the most costly but important inputs in crop production. As commodity prices have drastically increased over the past several years, so have input costs with nitrogen being no exception. This has resulted in growers paying more attention to improving nitrogen use efficiency and better managing nitrogen sources. Anhydrous ammonia, urea and UAN solutions are the most common fertilizers used today in crop production.

July has been an exciting month for crop development in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Corn and soybeans were off to a sluggish start after an extremely challenging spring pushed planting well into the month of June. Many producers were satisfied by being able to get their crops into the ground with the high commodity prices and had somewhat low expectations for performance compared to typical years.  This attitude has changed for many after the month of July has brought us plenty of heat and moisture to accelerate growth and development of the crop.

Source: Carrie Laboski, Extension Soil Fertility Specialist, Department of Soil Science, UW-Madison.

Several inches of rainfall over the past week and a half have many growers and agronomists concerned about the potential for N loss. The amount of N loss is dependent on soil moisture and drainage along with the form and timing of N. Nitrogen loss can occur through denitrification and leaching.

Denitrification

Like many parts of the Midwest, the cool and wet spring has delayed planting for Minnesota and Wisconsin. Winter lingered into late April with significant snow fall during the month delaying field work for much of the Northern Region. Corn planting eventually started during the first week of May but heavy and frequent rain showers continued to delay progress. Fortunately dry weather along with plenty of sunshine gave farmers the opportunity to make significant planting progress last week.

Many weed scientists are encouraging growers to incorporate the principals of Integrated Weed Management (IWM) in an attempt to preserve the utility of herbicide-tolerant cropping technologies. Increased frequency of herbicide resistant weeds are being discovered and reported on farms throughout the United States.

Despite up to 12 inches of rain falling in parts of MN and WI during the last week of September, harvest progressed very well this fall in the North. Following these heavy rains and hail; most areas had nearly three weeks of dry and warm conditions allowing many farmers to complete soybean harvest and go straight to corn without much delay. A growing season with above average temperatures and adequate rainfall set the stage for excellent yields, high test weights, and dry corn.