Things are getting crusty out there

Now that we're finally getting the corn crop into the ground, the next concern centers around emergence. DeKalb agronomist Bob Thirlwall was telling me this week that growers have been using all kinds of different methods to break up the crust and help some of these plants out of the ground. The options range from rotary hoes, to cultivators to empty planters with coulter bar set an inch deep to loosen the soil. He is urging growers to check their fields, especially now that the weather has turned warm and some of those soils could be turning into tennis courts. Make sure the population is wht you want it to be. A light tillage pass can sometimes help to thicken up the stand a little.

And here's a piece of advice from Cargill's Pat Lynch. He's reminding growers that some soy herbicides are in pretty short supply this year. So, it's probably a good idea to keep your stock locked up tight since there's enough incentive for would-be thieves to target pesticide storages. Don't leave anything unattended.

Even though planting is on everyone's mind these days, don't take your eyes off the winter wheat. It's been a tough spring for the crop and the last thing we need is an insect infestation to creep in under the radar. Word from the insect experts is to keep scouting for armyworm. They've been reported from south of the border. So far trap catches here are small but that can change quickly. We don't have to think back too far to remember what they can do to a crop.