May 29, 2015

Good afternoon,

Another week has passed and it appears that most of the crops have been planted in the county.  Corn has emerged well and most soybean fields look to be coming up good.  There has been much activity with farmers catching up on spraying herbicides and several who are applying nitrogen to corn.  Rain continues to be an issue, with a few spotty showers or downpours depending on where you are located.  Now is the time to go out and evaluate your early stands to find out if you have any problems.  I have attached an article from Hancock County Extension Educator Ed Lentz about early corn problems.  Hopefully we will have adequate moisture to provide uniform soybean stands.  Wheat quality looks good so far, with several fields heading out with low risk for disease pressure.  This past weekend I noticed several hay fields being baled with some reports of an excellent first cutting.

Early Corn Problems

One of the issues that we need to be aware of is the possibility of Avian Influenza spreading into Ohio.  I mentioned this disease a couple of weeks ago in this newsletter.  This week I have attached a news release about how to control the spread of this disease so that it is less likely to affect our local poultry flocks and commercial operations.  I have also attached an article by Darke County Extension Educator Sam Custer about the economic impact Avian Influenza could have on Ohio if it were to spread.  The number of reported cases of this disease are increasing nationwide.  If you consider that each layer consumes about a bushel of corn per year, each turkey consumes about 2/3 bushel of corn each year, and each broiler consumes about 10 pounds of corn, the numbers start to add up.  In addition, poultry consume soybean meal so you can quickly see that an epidemic could affect demand for grain as well.

Avian Influenza News Release

Economic Impact of Avian Influenza

Are you a swine producer who needs Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Plus certification?  There have been four Adult PQA Plus certification sessions scheduled to be conducted at the OSU Putnam County Extension Office, 1206 E. 2nd Street in Ottawa.  All new PQA certifications or those that have expired must attend a face to face PQA Plus certification training session.

 

PQA Plus Certification Dates

June 18, 2015 – 7:00 p.m.

August 20, 2015 – 7:00 p.m.

October 28, 2015 – 7:00 p.m.

December 16, 2015 – 6:00 p.m.

 

To register call 419-523-6294.  If calling after office hours leave a message to register or email OSU Extension Swine Program Specialist Dale Ricker at ricker.37@osu.edu.  There is also an online option (no registration fee) to renew your PQA Plus certification.  You must have an email address and internet access to complete the online version.  If you want to recertify online, email Dale and he will get you registered.  It is important to note that the online certification must be completed before your current certification expires.

 

If you are a sheep producer and are interested in attending this year’s Ohio Sheep Day, I have attached a flyer.  This year’s program will be Saturday, July 11 at Schoolhouse Shropshires in Xenia.  Check out the flyer for details about the program topics for this year if you are considering attending this annual event.  Local events coming up this week include Hardin County Fair Dairy Beef Feeder Weigh-in tomorrow (5/30) morning from 8:00-10:30 am at the fairgrounds.  There will be a Farm Bureau board meeting Tuesday (6/2) evening from 7:30-9:00 pm at Ag Credit.  The June Ag Council meeting will be held Friday (6/5) from 7:00-8:30 am at Henry’s Restaurant.  Feel free to join the group for breakfast and to share county agriculture information.  Below are some agronomy related articles that you may be interested in reading.

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identifying Feekes Growth Stages 9 and 10  –  Pierce Paul, Karasi Mills,  Laura Lindsey

Feekes growth stages 9 (full flag leaf emergence) and 10 (boot stage) can be identified without having to pull plants from the field. At this stage, you are no longer looking for and counting nodes at the base of the stem. Once the wheat crop is beyond Feekes growth stage 8 (flag leaf emergence), you can simply observe tillers in the field to determine if the flag leaf is fully emerged (Feekes 9) or if the wheat spikes (aka the head) is swollen in the leaf sheath of the flag leaf (Feekes 10; commonly referred to the boot stage).  To continue reading about Feekes Wheat Growth Stages 9 and 10, go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-12/identifying-feekes-growth-stages-9-and-10.

 

 

 

 

 

Corn Replant Considerations  –  Peter Thomison

Although corn stands are looking remarkably good across the state according to most observers, there are some localized reports of growers considering replanting. Most of these replant issues appear related to the consequences of planting in wet soils. Replant decisions in corn should be based on strong evidence that the returns to replanting will not only cover replant costs but also net enough to make it worth the effort. Don’t make a final assessment on the extent of damage and stand loss too quickly. The following are some guidelines to consider when making a replant decision.  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-12-1/corn-replant-considerations to finish reading this article.

 

 

 

 

 

Evaluating Soybean Stand  –  Laura Lindsey

Soybean planting is well underway throughout Ohio.  The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reported 23% of the soybean acres were planted by May 10 (and many more acres were planted between May 10 and 18) up from 13% at the same time last year. As soybeans are emerging, consider evaluating your stand this spring.  Most are reporting good stands; however, there have been some reports of damping-off.  To quickly estimate stand, count the number of plants in 69’8” of row for 7.5 inch row spacing, 34’10” for 15 inch row spacing, or 17’5” of row for 30 inch row spacing.  These counts represent 1/1000th of an acre (i.e., 120 plants in 69’8” of row in 7.5 inch row spacing = 120,000 plants/acre).  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-12-1/evaluating-soybean-stand to learn more about evaluating soybean stands.

 

 

 

 

 

Wheat Disease Update –  Pierce Paul, Jorge David Salgado

The wheat crop progressed considerably over the week of May 18 and is now heading-out in some fields. In fact, some fields in southern Ohio and even fields planted early or with early-maturing varieties in the central and northern parts of the state are at the flowering growth stage or will be flowering by the end of this week. The forecast is for cool conditions and rain over the next few days, which could potentially slow down the development of the crop. Scab and vomitoxin become our biggest concerns at this time of the wheat season. Keep your eyes on the weather and the scab forecasting (http://www.wheatscab.psu.edu) and alert systems, and be prepared to apply a fungicide (Prosaro or Caramba at full label-recommended rates) at flowering. For those early-flowering fields planted with varieties that are very susceptible to scab, the risk for head scab is currently low-moderate and will likely remain low as conditions become cooler.

 

 

 

 

 

In An Instant: Buried Alive  –  Amanda Douridas

The ABC network television show In An Instant will be replaying the Buried Alive episode on Saturday, May 30 at 9:00 pm. This episode features Arick Baker, a 23 year old farmer from Iowa, who was completely buried in his grain bin for over two hours and was fortunately rescued. Some farmers who saw the episode during its first run said it was very eye-opening to watch. The episode can also be viewed online at any time at: http://abc.go.com/shows/in-an-instant.

 

 

 

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu

 

May 22, 2015

Good afternoon,

Today we side-dressed nitrogen to the Corn Response to Nitrogen on-farm research plot.  There were six treatments of nitrogen replicated three times in the field.  The different treatments were 0 lbs N, 50 lbs N, 100 lbs N, 150 lbs N, 200 lbs N, and 250 lbs N.  The corn was in V2 growth stage and also had 28 lbs N starter fertilizer applied at planting.  The location of the plot is on the northeast corner of County Road 60 and County Road 135.  Thanks to cooperating farmer Jerry McBride for agreeing to do this OSU Extension county research plot as a way to provide local data for updating the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations which will occur in the future.  I’ve included a few photos from today.

 

 

 

The Hardin County OSU Alumni Club will be having its Annual Banquet on June 4 at St. John’s United Church of Christ in Kenton.  The banquet will begin at 6:30 pm and will feature Hardin County’s own Dr. Bruce McPheron, Ohio State University Vice President and Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences as the guest speaker.  If you are interested in attending this event, contact club president Bob Simmons as soon as possible at 419-634-9510  (bsimmons@wcoil.com) for tickets and further information.  Tickets for the banquet are $20 per person.

 

Do you have children or grandchildren between the ages of Kindergarten through 5th grade who might have an interest in gardening?  The Hardin County Master Gardener Volunteers are sponsoring the annual Children’s Day at the Friendship Gardens.  This event will be held Saturday, June 13 from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm.  The theme this year is Bugs, Birds, and Bees! Oh My!  This year’s event will feature a live bald eagle brought in by the Black Swamp Raptors.  See the attached news article and flyer for more details as well as information about how to register by June 1.  This event is a well-planned educational program with crafts and refreshments, so make sure you spread the word and get your youngsters there.  Parents and grandparents are allowed to participate as well!

Children’s Day at the Friendship Gardens News Release

2015 Children’s Day

The Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) and USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is reminding Ohio farmers that they need to have their Highly Erodible Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification for (AD-1026) on file with their local USDA service center by June 1, 2015. This requirement was created in the 2014 Farm Bill and farmers must file the form by the deadline in order to become or remain eligible for crop insurance premium support.  For more information, go to http://www.soyohio.org/association/deadline-approaching-for-crop-insurance-premium-support-eligibility/.

 

I have also attached an article about summer grain storage from North Dakota State University Extension.  This article includes information about how to keep the grain cool and dry to prevent damage as well as insect infestations.  I hope you are nearing completion of planting crops if you are not already done.  Make sure you set aside time to spend with family and remember the veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice this Memorial Day weekend.  I have included some agronomy article below if you are interested and have time to read them.

Keep Stored Grain Cool and Dry

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

Early-May Wheat Disease Update  –  Pierce Paul,  Jorge David Salgado

The wheat crop in Ohio is now at or just past Feekes 8 (flag leaf emergence), the growth stage at which we usually recommend fungicide application for foliar disease control. However, conditions have been fairly hot and dry over the last 7 to 10 days, slowing down the development of early-season diseases such as powdery mildew and Septoria. Septoria tritici leaf spot usually shows up first on the lower leaves as yellowish flecks that later develop into irregularly-shaped, brownish-gray lesions, with dark-brown to black spots in the center. The disease is usually spread from the lower to the upper leaves by rain splash; so, unless it rains and becomes cool (50 to 68oC) over the next week or so, Septoria leaf spot may not become a problem this year.  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-12/early-may-wheat-disease-update to finish reading about early wheat diseases.

 

 

 

 

 

Weather Update – Jim Noel

After some early week rain of less than 0.25 inches in most places with isolated totals to 0.50 inches in the far north and west part of the state, it will turn more seasonable in terms of temperatures but very little additional rainfall is forecast during the upcoming week. It looks like the second half of May will be warmer than normal by several degrees with increasing chances for rain. However, most places will see 1-2 inches of rain which is still normal to a bit below normal. Therefore, overall, May will go down as a warmer and slightly drier than normal month. Looking ahead to summer, this appears to be an El Nino summer. The weak El Nino will continue and may strengthen some. El Nino will likely last into fall and possibly into 2016. Typically, El Nino years push crop yields closer to trend line and summer weather can have stresses from temperature and precipitation swings. http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/CFSv2/imagesInd3/nino34Mon.gif

 

 

 

 

 

Early Insect and Slug Concerns  –  Andy Michel

For a couple of weeks we have been warning about the possibility of black cutworms based on adult catches reported by surrounding states.  We have begun to observe some minor feeding on corn, suggesting that the larvae are there and the worst of the damage is yet to come.  We have also received some reports of slug feeding—this is no surprise given the amount of early season rain as well as the more recent precipitation over the weekend.  As our crops are starting to emerge, these are prime sources of food for hungry cutworms and slugs.  Now is the time to scout your fields for the presence of damage from these pests. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-12-1/early-insect-and-slug-concerns to continue reading this article.

 

 

 

 

 

How is that stand?  – Anne Dorrance

Some soybeans have been planted and issues have already been reported.  The most common symptom is spotty areas around the field with large skips or limited emergence.  Take a garden trowel and dig up a few places and try to find the seed that was placed there.  Here is a review of the seedling disease issues that are common most years in Ohio. The Watermolds, Pythium and Phytophthora, are very common on poorly drained, high clay soils.  These pathogens love wet soil conditions.  The few places in the state where saturated soil conditions have occurred are the very typical.  Look for any shade of brown or tan on the seedling root or hypocotyl, the area right behind the deep green cotyledon. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-12-1/how-is-that-stand to continue reading about early disease problems in soybeans.

 

 

 

 

 

Identifying Feekes Growth Stages 9 and 10  –  Pierce Paul,  Karasi Mills, Laura Lindsey

Feekes growth stages 9 (full flag leaf emergence) and 10 (boot stage) can be identified without having to pull plants from the field. At this stage, you are no longer looking for and counting nodes at the base of the stem. Once the wheat crop is beyond Feekes growth stage 8 (flag leaf emergence), you can simply observe tillers in the field to determine if the flag leaf is fully emerged (Feekes 9) or if the wheat spikes (aka the head) is swollen in the leaf sheath of the flag leaf (Feekes 10; commonly referred to the boot stage). Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-12/identifying-feekes-growth-stages-9-and-10 for the different steps to identifying Feekes growth stages 9 and 10 in wheat.

 

 

 

 

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu

 

May 15, 2015

Good afternoon,

The weather has cooperated for the most part in the county as most of the corn has been planted by May 10, which is the optimum date for northern Ohio.  Based on earlier reports this week, approximately 1/3 of the soybeans in Ohio have also been planted.  Rainfall continues to be lower than last year’s totals.  For the time period of April 15-30, Extension rainfall reporters recorded an average of 1.06 inches of rain in Hardin County. Last year, the average rainfall for the same time period was 2.21 inches. Rainfall for the April 15-30 time period is 1.2 inches less than the ten year average rainfall during the same dates.  Read the attached April 15-30 Summary for more information about Hardin County rainfall.

April 15-30 Summary

Have you heard that our Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Educator, Kathy Oliver is going to retire in June?  We will lose a great resource and person for our county when she moves on from this position. She has been and continues to be of great assistance to me since I began working as the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator.   If you know of anyone qualified and interested in applying for this job opening, please refer them to http://hardin.osu.edu/news/position-open for more information.  Also, make sure you save the date for June 29, from 2:00-5:00 pm for her retirement open house at the Extension office.

 

Some landowners are considering clearing woods to gain more acreage or as an answer to the higher Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) rates.  The Ohio Farm Bureau has been working with the Ohio Department of Taxation to recommend changes to how this formula is calculated.  Read about the proposed recommendations at http://ofbf.org/media-and-publications/news-room/763/.  This is the second set of recommendations that the Farm Bureau has made to ease the tax burden on landowners.  If you are considering converting woodland to farmland, read that attached article that was in the spring Hardin Soil and Water Conservation District newsletter.  Clearing woods could have an effect on USDA programs that you may have the farm enrolled.  I have attached this article to this email.

Clearing Woods

The warmer temperatures are causing more insects to hatch.  Some of these insects are beneficial and some as you well know, are pests to agricultural crops and livestock.  I have attached an article written by Ed Lentz called Insect Trivia, which discusses interesting facts about slugs, bean leaf beetles, aphids, stink bugs, corn rootworms, and others.  If you have horses and are looking for equine pasture management advice, see the attached flyer about a program being offered in southern Ohio May 19 & 21.  I just received the flyer this week, so if you call ahead you might still be able to register to attend.

Insect Trivia

Equine Pasture management

Last week I mentioned that we need to be on the lookout for Avian Influenza.  This week, a case of this poultry disease was discovered as close as Fort Wayne, Indiana (east of Fort Wayne).  This is now in our ‘backyard’ and dangerously close to spreading into Ohio.  If you have any poultry or have contact with poultry, whether it be a small flock, 4-H/FFA project, or commercial operation, you need to take note of the recently released poultry bio-security practices which are attached to this email.  Again, we hope that this disease never steps foot in Hardin County or Ohio, so following these guidelines are recommended to slow the spread of this devastating disease.

HPAI and Biosecurity

Upcoming events this next week include a Master Gardener Volunteer meeting, Monday (5/18), starting at 7:00 pm at Harco Industries.  The Soil and Water Conservation District Board is meeting Thursday (5/21), starting at 7:30 am at the SWCD office.  The same day there will be an Extension Advisory Committee meeting, starting at 7:00 pm at the Extension office.  See the agronomy related articles below if you are interested.

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

Weather Update  – Jim Noel

As we talked about a few weeks ago, we expected the pattern to turn warmer than normal again in early May and it has done so. Overall, May will be warmer and drier than normal across Ohio. The best chances for normal rainfall appear to be across northern Ohio. Planting will likely be well ahead of recent years with this weather setup. The summer looks to see significant swings in above and below normal temperature bursts with swings of wet and dry periods. It may only average slightly warmer than normal and normal or slightly drier than normal but with significant swings in weather, expect stresses on crops at times. The early autumn outlook runs the risk for wetter than normal weather again which has become a common theme in recent years during harvest season.

 

 

 

 

 

Identifying Feekes Growth Stages 7 and 8  – Pierce Paul, Karasi Mills, Laura Lindsey

The following steps are also explained in the following video: https://youtu.be/PZ7Lvsux1y8. 1-Dig up several clusters of tillers with root and soil from multiple locations in the field; 2-Identify and select three to four primary tillers from each cluster – usually the largest tillers with the thickest stem; 3-Strip away and remove all the leaves that are below the lowest visible node, exposing  the lower half of the stem. Go to

http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-11/feekes-growth-states-7-and-8 to continue reading about how to identify Feekes Growth Stages 7 and 8 in wheat.

 

 

 

 

 

Pollinators and Planting  – Reed Johnson, Andy Michel

Beekeepers in Ohio again suffered substantial losses of colonies over the exceptionally long and cold winter of 2014-2015.  Here in Wooster we lost more than half of our colonies, and beekeepers around the state are reporting levels of winter kill as high as 80%.  While the frigid temperatures played a substantial contributing role, losses were undoubtedly made worse by all of the problems facing bees today: parasites, diseases, pesticides, breeding problems, and a general lack of summer and fall forage. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-11/pollinators-and-planting to read more about pollinators and planting.

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t Forget About Alfalfa and Weevils While Planting  –  Andy Michel

While most are worried about getting corn and soybean in during the next few weeks, the same heat is also making alfalfa weevil larvae develop quite quickly.  We would expect enough heat units to have been reached in much of the state to see alfalfa weevil munching away. Scouting is essential to maintain a healthy alfalfa stand. Keep in mind too that while your alfalfa may be resistant to potato leaf hopper, it is NOT resistant to alfalfa weevil. Go to

http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-11/don2019t-forget-about-alfalfa-and-weevils-while-planting to continue reading this article.

 

 

 

 

 

10 Tips to Get the Most out of Your Sprayer  –  Erdal Ozkan

Spraying season is just around the corner. Just take a moment to review some common sense ideas I will mention here to get the most out of those expensive pesticides you will be spraying. The following “Top Ten” list will help you improve the performance of your sprayer and keep it from failing you:  1)Applying chemicals with a sprayer that is not calibrated and operated accurately could cause insufficient weed, insect or disease control which can lead to reduced yields. Check the gallon per acre application rate of the sprayer. This can only be determined by a thorough calibration of the sprayer. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-11/10-tips-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-sprayer for more information about how to get the most out of your sprayer.

 

 

 

 

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu

 

May 8, 2015

Good afternoon,

The weather is cooperating and corn and soybeans are being planted throughout the county.  There was a slowdown earlier this week with some rain, but now activity is back to its previous level.  I’ve been looking around for some emerged corn, but have yet to be able to row any fields.  There is also evidence of manure application with the warmer temperatures.  I know when I used to hear people talk about the odors when I hauled manure, I used to tell them that it ‘smelled like money’ to me.  Whatever the case, conditions are favorable for field work and much is being accomplished.  Read the attached article that I wrote this week about planting progress.

Planting Progress

If you are looking for plants for your landscape or garden, the Master Gardener Volunteers will be having their 12th Annual Plant Sale in the Arts & Crafts Building at the fairgrounds tomorrow (5/9).  It will start with coffee and browsing at 8:30 am and then sales from 9:00-12:00 noon.  There should be a wide variety of plants for your selection, as well as lots of good free gardening advice from the many garden clubs and societies from around the county that will have booths at this sale.  See the attached flyer for more information.

MGV plant sale

The final Spring Garden Library Program conducted by the Master Gardeners will be held this coming Wednesday (5/13) at the Mary Lou Johnson District Library in Kenton.  Master Gardener Volunteers Richard Aller and Sandy Pruden will present a program on annuals and perennials: selection, care, planting, and what’s new in the variety of plants available.  See the attached flyer for more details of this program which will start at 7:00 pm.

Spring Library Programs Flyer

I received a call from someone looking for horse hay for sale, preferably small bales containing orchard grass and timothy.  Often times I receive requests for hay and straw, so if you have some for sale or know of anyone who has some available, please let me know so that I can put together a list with contacts that I could make it available to anyone who asks.  If you are out riding a horse in this warm weather or just working outside, you will want to beware of the potential for ticks.  Hancock County Extension Educator Ed Lentz wrote an informative article about this pest that I have attached to this email.

Ticks

You may have heard about the Avian Influenza outbreak in other states.  Fortunately, this disease has not made its way to Ohio.  If it did, it has the potential to be devastating to the poultry industry.  If you have poultry, even if it is a 4-H/FFA project or backyard flock, you should read the article from OSU found at http://cfaes.osu.edu/news/articles/ohio-poultry-owners-advised-increase-biosecurity-virus-spreads-in-western-us for more information.  No poultry on your farm?  Then you might want to think about the effect on the demand for corn and soybean meal.  You can figure about 1 bushel of corn eaten per layer per year, 10 pounds of corn per broiler and 2/3 of a bushel of corn per turkey (10-12 weeks).  If we would lose ½ of our poultry for a 6 month period of time you would reduce corn demand by 27,000,000 million bushels, the equivalent of 9% of our state corn production.

 

Below are some more agronomy related articles that you might be interested in reading.  Remember to keep a safe working environment as you continue to plant this season’s crops.

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

Cold Weather and Wheat Injury  –  Laura Lindsey, Pierce Paul

Last week, temperatures in northern Ohio dipped below freezing prompting some concerns about possible injury to the wheat crop. The effect of cold weather depends on the wheat growth stage. Maximum resistance to cold weather occurs in December-February. As wheat greens-up, the plant becomes less tolerant of freezing temperatures (see wheat freeze chart), which could be particularly damaging after jointing when the growing point is above the soil surface.  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-10/cold-weather-and-wheat-injury to continue reading this article.

 

 

 

 

 

Black Cutworms and Armyworms Still a Concern  –  Andy Michel

Reports of black cutworm and armyworms catches are still coming in from surrounding states. The big concern over the next few weeks will be egg hatch and larval growth. Both hatch and growth is difficult to predict and is largely based on temperature and growing degree days. From the temperature outlook, we should see 3rd or 4th instars of black cutworm by the 2nd or 3rd week of May, weather dependent. Corn from the V2 to the V6 stage is vulnerable to damage and cutting, and, if much of the planting starts at the end of this week or the beginning of next, we may see some fields with heavy feeding.  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-10/black-cutworms-and-armyworms-still-a-concern to finish reading this article.

 

 

 

 

 

Nitrogen Value of Spring Applied Manure  – Glen Arnold

Many Ohio livestock farmers were unable to apply their normal amounts of manure last fall due to wet weather and a delayed harvest season. As a result, many producers need to haul manure this spring before the planting season. The ammonium nitrogen and a portion of the organic nitrogen contained in spring applied manure are generally available for the growing crop. According to OSU Extension bulletin 604, 50 to 75 percent of the ammonia portion of the nitrogen could be captured if the manure is injected during application or incorporated within one day if surface applied. Approximately one-third of the organic portion of the manure nitrogen will be available regardless of whether the manure is incorporated or not.  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-10/nitrogen-value-of-spring-applied-manure to continue reading about manure research.

 

 

 

 

 

Adjusting Corn Management Practices for a Late Start  –  Peter Thomison, Steve Culman, Mark Loux

As prospects for a timely start to spring planting diminish, growers need to reassess their planting strategies and consider adjustments. Since delayed planting reduces the yield potential of corn, the foremost attention should be given to management practices that will expedite crop establishment. The following are some suggestions and guidelines to consider in dealing with a late planting season. Although the penalty for late planting is important, care should be taken to avoid tillage and planting operations when soil is wet. Yields may be reduced somewhat this year due to delayed planting, but effects of soil compaction can reduce yield for several years to come.  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-10/adjusting-corn-management-practices-for-a-late-start to read more about corn management practices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have Nematodes in our Corn Fields  – Pierce Paul, Terry Niblack, Abasola Simon

A total 425 corn fields were surveyed for plant-parasitic nematodes during the 2013 and 2014 growing seasons. In each year, soil samples were collected from 15-16 fields in each of 28 counties, across 6 soil regions, and nematodes were identified and counted. Ten major morphological types were found, with populations ranging from 0 to 1,164 nematodes per 100 cm3 of soil. Spiral, lesion, lance, dagger, stunt, pin, ring, stubby-root, cyst, and tylenchid nematodes were each found in at least one field.  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-9/we-have-nematodes-in-our-corn-fields to learn more about nematodes.

 

 

 

 

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu

 

May 1, 2015

Good evening,

Planting season has begun.  Tuesday I saw corn being planted in southern Hancock County and then Wednesday evening I saw a planter in the field near Forest.  Since then it seems as though people are in the fields throughout the county, working ground, spraying herbicides, spreading fertilizer, and planting corn. Hopefully warmer weather is here to stay and we can avoid any more frosts.  Our Ag Council meeting had less people in attendance this morning, which was evidence of farmers being active in the fields.  Make sure you look at the articles that I have included at the end of this email regarding timeliness of planting corn over the past fifteen years.  Also, I have attached an article written by Ed Lentz about ‘Corn Planting Tips.’

Corn Planting Tips

If you are a fruit grower, you may be interested in attending the upcoming ‘Spotted Wing Drosophila’ webinar.  This relatively new to Ohio fruit fly is causing damage to blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and other soft fruits.  See the attached news article and flyer for more information about this program that will be held this coming Wednesday from 10:30 am – 12:00 noon at the Extension office.  The Master Gardeners have been busy planning several upcoming programs.  This week’s spring library program will be Wednesday, May 6 at the Mary Lou Johnson Library in Kenton.  It will start at 7:00 pm and the subject is ‘Getting Kids Interested in Gardening.’  See the attached flyer for further details about this and next week’s library program.

Spotted Wing Drosphila News Release

swd webinar 2015

Spring Library Programs Flyer

I have received several calls about damage to lawns from moles in the past couple of weeks.  Their unsightly tunnels and mounds damage lawns as these small mammals are looking for insects and earthworms as they burrow through a lawn.  They can be very frustrating to a homeowner, because they are hard to find and trap.  See the article I wrote this past week for ideas of dealing with this small animal.  It is attached to this email. Upcoming meetings include Fairboard on Saturday, May 2 in the fair office, starting at 7:30 pm.  There is a Farm Bureau board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 5 at Ag Credit, starting at 7:30 pm.  Saturday, May 9 is the Master Gardener Volunteers annual Plant Sale in the Arts & Crafts building at the fairgounds.  This sale will be from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, so show up at 8:30 am for coffee and to pick out the best selection of plants.  Several Hardin County garden clubs and societies are setting up booths for this annual event.

Moles News Release

Hardin County Plant Sale News Release

MGV Plant Sale 2015 Flyer

Remember to be safe and get rest when you need it during this busy planting season.  If you have time, I have included some articles that you may be interested in reading.

 

Mark
 

 

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Weather – Jim Noel

April has been a warmer and wetter month across most of the state of Ohio. Temperatures are averaging 3-7 degrees above normal with precipitation ranging from 100-200 percent of normal. The wettest and warmest areas have been across the southern part of the state. Rainfall has been close to normal in the north. A pattern change is about to begin which will turn the weather cooler than normal for the rest of April into the first week of May.  To read more about the upcoming weather, go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-9/upcoming-weather.

 

 

 

 

 

Identifying Feekes Growth Stage 6: Jointing – Pierce Paul, Laura Lindsey

1- Pull, or better yet, dig up, several clusters of tillers with roots and soil from multiple locations in the field; 2- Identify and select three to four primary tillers from each cluster – usually the largest tillers with the thickest stem, but size can be deceiving; 3- Strip away and remove all the lower leaves (usually small and yellowish or dead leaves), exposing  the base of the stem; 4- Now look for the first node anywhere between 1 and 2 inches above the base of the stem. This node is usually seen as a slightly swollen area of a slightly different (darker) shade of green than the rest of the stem.  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-9/identifying-feekes-growth-stage-6-jointing to finish reading this article.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corn Planting Progress in Ohio: A “Historical” Perspective – Peter Thomison, Allen Geyer

How much corn is typically planted in Ohio by the third week of April?  According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Ohio/Publications/Crop_Progress_&_Condition/index.asp), for the week ending April 13 no appreciable acreage of corn had been planted in Ohio (1%), which compared to 0% last year and 7% for the five year average.  To find out more about corn planting progress in Ohio over the past 15 years, go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-9/corn-planting-progress-in-ohio-a-201chistorical201d-perspective.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Cutworm and Armyworm Counts on the Rise – Andy Michel

Last week, both Purdue University and the University of Kentucky reported high black cutworm catches. In addition, UKY caught a large number of armyworms in one of their traps.  Both of these moth species migrate into our area, lay eggs, and the developing larvae can be significant pests of corn and wheat.  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-9/black-cutworm-and-armyworm-counts-on-the-rise to continue reading about black cutworms and armyworms.

 

 

 

 

 

Soybean Planting Date, Seeding Rate, and Row Width – Laura Lindsey

Planting date (both too early and too late) can reduce soybean yield potential.  In 2013 and 2014, we conducted a planting date trial at the Western Agricultural Research Station near South Charleston, Ohio.  In both years, soybean yield decreased by 0.6 bu/ac per day when planting after mid-May.  The greatest benefit of planting May 1 to mid-May is canopy closure which increases light interception, improves weed control by shading out weeds, and helps retain soil moisture. Planting too early (before field conditions are adequate) comes with a risk.  Factors such as damping-off and pressure from bean leaf beetle are concerns to keep in mind, as well as the possibility of a late spring frost.  To continue reading about soybean planting, go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-9/soybean-planting-date-seeding-rate-and-row-width.

 

 

 

 

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu