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Now is the time to plan for the 2019 growing season

Purdue University Extension Specialist Bob Nielsen says after a drawn-out harvest, now is the time to plan for the 2019 growing season.

“It certainly behooves you to spend some time looking at performance data from variety trials and looking for not just good genetic potential, but some sense of whether a hybrid can tolerate a wide range of stresses,” he says. “Because we know every year brings some kind of stress but we never know what kind.”

He tells Brownfield growers should use their yield maps from harvest as a road map.

“Using those as a road map to identify those areas in the field that really need your attention either with more intensive soil sampling or maybe next season with more intensive field scouting,” he says.

Nielsen says growers should also use this time to make sure machinery is ready to go for the next season.

“Mother nature alone is going to create a bunch of headaches, so we don’t need to contribute to that,” he says.

He spoke to Brownfield at the Indiana CCA Conference in Indianapolis.

Audio: Bob Nielsen, Purdue University