(Lakefield, Mn.)– The rain that fell Sunday and Monday has brought a temporary halt to spring field work and planting across the region, but the moisture was most certainly welcome. That word from Jim Nesseth of Extended Ag Services of Lakefield…
“Our subsoil rating, you know, we were definitely below average and below adequate as far as subsoil moisture, so I think this is going to be really good and certainly the moisture did reach that seed and we’ve got good seed to soil contact and moisture there. So I think emergence will be okay, and if not we might just have to help a little bit with some rotary hoeing, but overall I think we’re going to be in good shape once this weather warms up.”
And while below normal temperatures have prevailed so far this week, Nesseth says predictions for frost over the next couple of nights shouldn’t be much of a concern…
“Corn, of course the growing point is below the ground. Soybeans might be a little bit more vulnerable but they’ve got that waxy coat added to their cotyledons. It’s going to have to get, I think, into the 20’s there before we have any real damage there, and you know the ground is still warm.”
Nesseth says producers were able to make excellent planting progress prior to the rain with many finishing up corn. He estimates nearly 30 to 40 percent of soybeans have been planted so far.
