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Warm weather prompts development

Michigan farmers are finally starting to see soil temperatures warm up enough for germination.

Soil fertility specialist Kurt Steinke with Michigan State University tells Brownfield …

“The soil temperatures have remained well below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and because they’re below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s very difficult to get that seed to germinate in a timely fashion,” he explains.

Steinke says soybeans will be less responsive to starter fertilizer if they are quickly getting out of the ground. But potassium can be beneficial.

“Potassium uptake occurs quite early in the season with soybean production, so we get about 70 percent of that K and the plant is uptaken prior to R4 or prior to seed fill,” he says.

And, while the season may seem delayed, he says field activities are not too far off from average.