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Agronomist says moisture key to planting season

A Golden Harvest agronomist says producers shouldn’t be too eager to start planting, especially with the recent rainfall.

John Flynn tells Brownfield patience pays off. “When we get into planting in some of those saturated soils, that can be actually be pretty detrimental to a given hybrid,” Flynn says. “Some corn varieties can tolerate the wet feet some cannot. It’s very important that we monitor that situation.”

Flynn says Mother Nature helped producers in Nebraska lessen the impact of the drought. “We’ve had some rains and we sure have. The further west we go it was actually snow, but that’s ok, that soaked in. Unless the moisture hit concrete, none of it ran off,” he said. “That was sorely needed.”

He says weather is the biggest unknown each year but knowing what goes in the ground helps. “That’s where it’s good to have those consistent, performing, strong defensive package-type hybrids that can work their way through some challenges that they may be given or exposed to in a growing season,” he says.

Flynn says growers should also consider the soil type and population counts.