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Start your planters

A narrow window for planting in Michigan is opening.

Michigan State University’s Manni Singh tells Brownfield the next few days will be critical for soybeans.

“We want to probably take this opportunity and get as many soybeans in the ground as we can before we get this next rain event, probably early to mid-next week,” he says.

Southwest Michigan farmer Mitch Kline says his fields are ready.

“We’ll be planting corn, and planting beans, and with our equipment we have nowadays, I think we’ll be right on track for being normal, maybe just a touch behind,” he shares.

Singh advises farmers to plant soybeans when soil temperatures are 50 degrees Fahrenheit and rising.  He says research is finding slight yield losses for beans planted after mid-May and more than one percent per day declines in June.