With nearly five days suitable for fieldwork statewide the week of April 23-29, producers got a lot of corn planted.

“It’s been an excellent spring to get things done,” said DeKalb County grain farmer Mark Tuttle. “I would say, in my area, corn is about 80 percent planted. I’ve got all my corn in.”

Statewide, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), temperatures averaged 54.1 degrees, 2.2 below normal. Precipitation averaged 0.46 inch, 0.4 below normal. Rainfall increased over the weekend, allowing for a good deal of fieldwork during the week.

According to NASS, 79 percent of the corn has been planted statewide, compared to only 10 percent during the same week last year. Soybeans are 13 percent planted, compared to a five-year average of only 2 percent.

Tuttle, who grows peas and sweet corn for the Rochelle Del Monte canning plant, said he planned to get peas planted before starting soybeans. He said his sweet corn wouldn’t be planted until around Memorial Day.

Oats planted reached 98 percent, 80 percent of wheat is headed and 18 percent of alfalfa has received a first cutting. Topsoil moisture was rated at 4 percent very short, 18 percent short, 63 percent adequate and 15 percent surplus.

Early-planted crops received a much-needed rain last week following a record-setting pace of Indiana corn and soybean plantings in April. According to NASS, 70 percent of the intended corn acreage has been planted, compared with 2 percent last year and 20 percent for the five-year average. By area, 66 percent of the crop has been planted in the north, 73 percent in the central region and 71 percent in the south.

Twenty-four percent of the corn acreage has emerged. But optimism gave way to reality when cold temperatures, frost and wind in late April damaged or killed many of the seedlings. Temperatures dropped as low as 27 degrees in some northern areas, also destroying some winter wheat fields.

“Probably the best way to describe the general condition of the crop to date is that it is behaving like a crop that was planted in late March and early April,” said Purdue University extension corn specialist Bob Nielsen. “Many of the surviving fields are light green to almost yellow.”

Twenty-eight percent of the intended soybean acreage has been planted compared with none last year and 4 percent for the five-year average. By area, 27 percent of the soybean crop has been planted in the north, 30 percent in the central region and 25 percent in the south.

Thanks to the seasonably dry spring, Larry Anderson of Highland County was able to get his 950 acres of corn planted earlier than he has the past seven years.

“Mother Nature has cooperated this growing season and I couldn’t be happier,” Anderson said. “Not certain about the remainder of the state, but from farmers I’ve spoken to from central and southwest Ohio, we’re ahead of the game. This time last year I had aches and pains worrying about my fields, but conditions have been remarkably good.”

But conditions for the final week of April painted a different picture. Temperatures for the state were well below normal while precipitation was slightly above normal for the week.

“I’m just glad I didn’t put it off,” Anderson said. “You take a gamble planting in early spring, but this time around it paid off for those of use who tilled the ground early. The weather can turn at any time, but from late March through most of April the weatherman cooperated.”

According to Ohio State University agronomist Peter Thomison, the cold temperatures in Ohio that final week in April have some corn growers concerned about adverse effects. Some of those growers are contemplating whether to replant their fields even though there is little evidence that most corn in Ohio has been jeopardized by the cooler temperatures.

“Replant decisions in corn should be based on strong evidence that the returns to replanting will not only cover replant costs, but also net enough to make it worth the effort,” Thomison said. “Don’t make a final assessment on the extent of the damage and stand loss too quickly.”

But those who tilled the ground in early spring are seeing fruits of their efforts. As of Sunday, corn planted for grain was 57 percent complete, compared to just 1 percent this time last year. Corn emerged was at 6 percent, 5 percent ahead of a year ago.

Sixteen percent of soybeans were in the ground, 11 percent ahead of the five-year average, and winter wheat joined was rated at 73 percent, well ahead of both last year and the five-year period by 30 and 24 percent, respectively.

Oats emerged were rated at 66 percent (just 6 percent last season). Apples at full bloom or beyond were rated at 78 percent, 56 ahead of last year, and peaches at full bloom or beyond were rated at 82 percent, compared to 36 last year. Peaches were rated 58 percent in fair to good condition.
By Doug Graves