May 5, 2017

Good afternoon,

It seems as the rain won’t stop.  I overheard a lady in the lobby mention that if it keeps on raining, we might have to build an ark.  Well it hasn’t rained that much and I don’t suspect it will either.  What I do know is that about 42% of the corn is planted statewide along with about 14% of the soybean crop.  See the attached report on Ohio Crop Weather from USDA for the month of April.  The heavy rains have caused ponding in the fields here in Hardin County and that has several farmers concerned about replanting.  Will the corn and soybeans that were planted emerge okay?  What about the seedlings that are already up?  Will they survive?  There are some guidelines about this topic that I included in this week’s news article titled ‘Ponding Effects on Corn’ written by OSU Extension State Corn Specialist Dr. Peter Thomison.  It is attached to this email if you have some questions that need answered.

Ohio Crop Weather May 1

Ponding Effects on Corn News Release

It’s that time of year again for the Master Gardeners of Hardin County to host their 14th annual plant sale. It will be held on Saturday, May 13th at the Fairground’s Arts and Crafts building. The sale will be from 10:00 am until noon. Refreshments will be available for a donation. Joining the sale will be the Men’s Garden Club, Hardin County Herb Society, Deep Roots Garden Club, and Dailey’s Daylilies.  See the attached news release for more information if you are interested in some local plants raised by gardeners in the county.  Do you keep bees on your property?  If so, you need to register them by June 1 with the Ohio Department of Agriculture.  I’ve included the 2017 Apiary Application form in case you have beehives.  If you need more information about bees or selling honey, let me know.

Hardin County Plant Sale News Release

2017 Apiary Application

Upcoming local events this next week include a Men’s Garden Club meeting on Monday, May 8 starting at 6:30 pm at the home of Gordon Kline.  Other than that, there’s not much going on meeting-wise because this is the time that farmers are usually in the fields.  So if you need something to do on this rainy day, I’ve included some agronomy articles below.

Mark

Wheat Growth Stages and Associated Management: Feekes 7, 8, and 9 – Laura Lindsey, Pierce Paul, Ed Lentz

Feekes growth stage 7 is characterized by the rapid expansion of the head and the presence of two nodes. One node should be between 1.5 to 3 inches from the base of the stem and the other should be about 4 to 6 inches above the base of the stem. These nodes are usually seen as clearly swollen areas of a distinctly different (darker) shade of green than the rest of the stem. Note: the upper node may be hidden by the leaf sheath – you may have to run your fingers along the stem feel it: if only one node is present, then your wheat is still at Feekes growth stage 6. Wheat will still respond to N applied at this time if weather has prevented an earlier application; however, mechanical damage may occur from applicator equipment. To learn more about wheat growth stages 7, 8, and 9, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2017-10/wheat-growth-stages-and-associated-management-feekes-7-8-and-9.

Alfalfa Weevil: An early-season pest – Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon

While most farmers are focused on getting corn and soybean in during the next few weeks, this is also the time to be aware of what alfalfa weevil larvae are doing in your forage. While February and March were warm, warmer weather on the horizon will give larvae a boost in their development. Scouting is essential to maintain a healthy alfalfa stand. Keep in mind that, while your alfalfa may be resistant to potato leaf hopper, it is NOT resistant to alfalfa weevil. Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2017-09/alfalfa-weevil-early-season-pest to read more about scouting for the alfalfa weevil.

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

Over the past few years, with funding from Ohio Soybean Council, we’ve re-examined Ohio’s soybean planting date, row width, and seeding rate recommendations. Here are some things to keep in mind, as we approach planting. Soybean planting date has a large effect on yield. Yield reduction as a result of late planting ranges from 0.25 to 1 bushel/acre/day depending on row width, date of planting, and variety. In southern Ohio, soybeans should be planted any time after April 15 when soil conditions are suitable. In northern Ohio, soybean planting can begin the last week of April if soil conditions are suitable. Soybeans should not be planted until soil temperature reaches 50 degrees Fahrenheit and moisture is present at planting depth. Planting too early (when conditions are not adequate) comes with risk such as damping-off, bean leaf beetle, and late spring frosts.  Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2017-09/soybean-planting-date-row-width-and-seeding-rate-recommendations to read about row width and seeding rate.

Corn Emergence and Heat Unit Accumulation – Peter Thomison

Warm, dry weather promoted significant corn planting last week, especially in western Ohio. According to USDA/NASS estimates of April 30, 42 percent of the corn crop in Ohio has been planted. However, much cooler temperatures forecast this week may slow germination and emergence of these late April plantings. Corn typically requires 100 to 120 growing degree days (GDDs) to emerge (but emergence requirements can vary from 90 to150 GDDs). To determine daily GDD accumulation, calculate the average daily air temperature (high + low)/2 and subtract the base temperature which is 50 degrees F for corn.  To find out more about heat unit accumulation with corn, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2017-11/corn-emergence-and-heat-unit-accumulation.

EPA Denies Petition to Ban Pesticide Chlorpyrifos – Kelley Tilmon, Andy Michel

Recently the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency denied a petition to ban the agricultural pesticide chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos has been under review for a number of months. Chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate, is the active ingredient in Lorsban and other products, and is labeled for use against a number of insect and mite pests in various field crops. The recent decision means that it will continue to be available for these uses. As with all pesticides, OSU Extension encourages applicators to exercise proper handling and application procedures to protect workers and non-workers alike from exposure. More information about pesticide safety can be found at http://pested.osu.edu/

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

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