Last fall’s weather may have contributed to a slightly slow planting start for farmers in Montgomery County in west-central Indiana, according to Renee Wiatt, the county’s Purdue University extension educator for agriculture and natural resources.

“They were really pushing (this spring) to get everything sprayed and to get things done that didn’t get finished in the fall because winter came so early,” she said. “Some are applying nutrients while they’re planting.”

Wiatt estimated 80-90 percent of the county’s corn and soybeans have been planted. She noticed the plants had popped up a couple of inches after a rainfall early last week. Cooler temperatures last week may have slowed growth a bit, she added.

Statewide, 40 percent of the corn crop had emerged, according to the May 18 Indiana Crop Weather report from the Great Lakes region of NASS. That figure is up from 38 percent the same time last year, but down from the five-year average of 43 percent. Farmers had planted 74 percent of the crop, up from 70 percent last year. The five-year average is 68 percent.

For soybeans, 6 percent of the crop had emerged, down from 10 percent last year and from the five-year average of 18 percent. Thirty-six percent of the crop had been planted, up from last year’s 32 percent. The five-year average is 38 percent.

Thirty-nine percent of winter wheat was headed, up from last year’s 29 percent but down from the five-year average of 46 percent. Eighty-eight percent of the crop had jointed, up from last year’s 82 percent. The five-year average is 91 percent.