Growers should remain patient

LEXINGTON – With a wet spring upon us, growers are being advised to remain patient before rushing to the fields.

Even though farmers can get by with many things in the fall due to the natural freeze/thaw cycle of the ground, spring is a different story, says Dan Froelich a technical agronomist for Brandt Consolidated.

You may feel like you are helping to dry the ground out by working the soil when you are actually only drying out the top four inches. Everything underneath that point is still wet and the soil density will be changed so much that the roots will have a hard time penetrating.

“We need to be able to draw moisture from down below,” explained Froelich.

Froelich even cautions producers against taking a sprayer out in the field too early as those wheel tracks may be visible into July.

“Let’s not do something wrong early in the spring that we have to live with all year long.”

Several growers are planting double pro varieties of corn this year and Froelich strongly suggests using insecticide for rootworms, even though there has not been a lot of rootworm damage in recent years.

“Mother Nature has a way of surprising us,” Froelich said.

Farmers are also reminded to use proper communication with neighbors and retailers this season since there are so many different soybean technologies out there such as Dicamba, Liberty, Roundup and 2,4-D.

Froelich can be reached at the Brandt Lexington location at 309-365-7201.

Cooksville Update:

Doug Matlock manages the Brandt Cooksville location and is preparing for the spring season.

“It is a time when we are working with seed also making sure all of the equipment is ready to go when the time comes,” Matlock noted.

Matlock is confident the weather will break soon and he continues to make sure customer crop plans are in order. Following poor fall weather, he hopes to catch up on anhydrous, dry fertilizer application and spraying for winter annuals.

The Cooksville plant can be reached at 309-725-3710.