Weekly Weather and Crop Update

It was another good week of weather for growing corn and soybeans last week according to the Weekly Weather and Crop Update from the Southern Research and Outreach Center at Waseca. Temperatures averaged 74.1 degrees, which was just 1.8 degrees above normal. No rainfall was seen and that was .97 inches below normal. We accumulated 162 growing degree units, which was 6 percent above normal. Our grand total since the first of May is 1,324 growing degree units and for the year we are 4 percent above normal.

Last year at this time of the growing season we had accumulated 1,324 growing degree units. It is nice to see the crop ahead of normal because the sooner the corn is mature it can begin drying down and save on propane costs for artificial drying. With the rain we have received, the corn should have plenty of moisture for the critical pollination phase. Beans planted at the normal time in 30-inch rows have filled in completely. I have heard of a few soybean aphids that have been found but at very low levels. Maybe we will get lucky again this year and levels will stay below treatment thresholds?