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Cool soils a constant during variable April in Upper Midwest

An agronomist says despite variable conditions across the Upper Midwest in April, one constant was cool soil temperatures.

Harmon Wilts covers west-central Minnesota for DEKALB Asgrow.

“One thing that was the same across the entire state and really the Upper Midwest was the soil temps. We had colder soil temps than we’ve had in decades.”

He tells Brownfield soil conditions were fit and the calendar said it was go-time.

“Fields looked good, but you know on the 25th and 26th of April and the number one planting date for high-yield corn, we were sitting at 34 and 35 degree soil temps yet. People were wondering if they should be planting or not.”

Wilts says most farmers in his geography waited until April 29th when soil temps reached 45 degrees at four inches deep. From there he says the pace exploded with most of the expected corn, soybean, and sugarbeet acres planted within a 10-day period.

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