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As window opens, soil moisture should dictate planting progress

An agronomist says as conditions improve, soil moisture should dictate planting progress.

Jon Zuk covers southeastern Minnesota for Winfield United.

He tells Brownfield every spring there are farmers who regret not waiting for fields to become fit.

“Issues (with) emergence, sidewall smearing, open furrows, those sorts of things.  So typically if we can just wait an extra two or three days before we think it’s fit, a lot of times those problems will go away.”

Zuk says if soil four inches deep crumbles in your hand, the ground should be okay.

“If it crumbles, that means the dirt is probably good and fit and you’re not going to cause too much compaction.  But if it’s still gooey and slimy, any kind of farming practice that you’re going to go across that acre is probably going to cause some compaction.  And that’s going to come back and haunt you with root growth this season.”

With a forecast for warmer weather across much of the Midwest, Zuk suggests soil temps won’t be as important as soil moisture levels.

 

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