Area crops on the rebound

A month ago crops in the immediate Hillsboro area and across Traill County were spotty, at best.
Too much rain largely in May had taken its toll; early crops were drowned out in the lower areas and in others sectors the moisture promised diseased crops.
Four weeks later and the outlook has improved considerably.
The recent stretch of warm and dry weather pushed crops to where now the Red River Valley stands a good chance of producing another average to above average crop.
Monday’s rain was an added bonus.
“The rain helped, definitely,” said Ken Nichols, Traill County extension agent.
The rain measuring .73 in Hillsboro arrived largely after midnight. The line of thunderstorms, running on a line from Jamestown northeast to Park River before it entered the valley, produced variable amounts of rainfall. Mayville reported .35, Galesburg .65. Showers in the late afternoon added to the region’s totals.
It all helped.
“Anytime you get moisture,” said agronomist Barry DickHoff, the crops will respond.
The valley corn crop, which was coming on strong despite showing signs of stress, needed the rain, said Ken Nichols.
So did the small grains, the county agent added.
Another plus was the cooler temperatures early in the week; Tuesday dawned with low 60-degree temps. The early morning temps the rest of the week were in the 50s.
“The cooler temperatures and rain were welcomed,” said Nichols.
“Hopefully, the small grains will now add some test weight.”
Whenever the crops look as green as they do currently in the Red River Valley, there’s the opportunity for added test weight in the small grains, Nichols explained.
Sure, there’s some areas where crops were drowned out, Nichols knows, resulting in pot holes in numerous fields.
“But where they’re not drowned out, the crops look good.”
In other words the cropland in eastern Traill County is greening up nicely.
The early sugarbeet crop, however, was hurt by the overload of early moisture.
“We’re seeing some root rot,” Nichols said. But it’s not an epidemic, he added. Some Hillsboro area sugarbeet crops are showing significant damage.
The valley’s soybeans — a “tough animal,” according to Nichols — are starting to blossom and, much like the corn crop, are also looking good.
The early moisture, however, threatened the soybean crop.
But all that changed with the recent warm weather.
The difference a year makes, commented both Nichols and DickHoff, Halstad Elevator agronomy plant manager in Hillsboro.
A year ago a warm and dry June pushed roots to tap into the plentiful subsoil moisture supplies.
It helped save and produce record crops, all around.
Farmers entered this year’s planting season with depleted subsoil moisture conditions.
This year’s wet spring solved that problem.
“We’re okay now for subsoil,” commented Ken Nichols.
That said, the heart of the Red River Valley remains ahead of the game in rainfall amounts. Hillsboro has received 9.73 inches of rain, the average at this point is 6.8 inches.
“It would have been nice to have this spring’s rain spread out,” Nichols said, “but it was nice that it replenished the subsoil supplies.”
Again, where it’s not drowned out and despite the early rains and subsequent warm and dry conditions, the crops are looking fairly good.
Said Nichols, “We’ve still got a crop out there.”
Thanks to the recent warm weather, the incidents of scab in the small grains has been reduced.
“We’re not going to have huge losses to scab,” said Nichols.
The new Traill County extension agent credits the valley farmer for being diligent in protecting his crops from leaf diseases. “They did a great job in their fungicide application.”
Nichols describes the varying rainfall and weather conditions as a Catch-22.
“Some fields are hurting, some are average, some are better than average.”
Barry DickHoff likes the potential for both the soybeans and corn.
Both crops, he said, are “looking good.”
Tuesday’s early morning rain was a shot in the arm, according to the Halstad Elevator agronomist.
The soybeans, flowering and needing moisture and sunlight, will benefit with the improved weather conditions.
The accommodating weather is, of course, responsible for the turnaround.
The weather, he said, is the big difference.
But, it’s been that kind of year; interesting, to say the least, he explains.
Farmers were in the fields early, then it started to rain. Rain all too frequent was the problem. Then it turned warm and windy.
“It’s just been a different year,” said DickHoff.
“But it’s looking a lot better than it did three, four weeks ago, that’s for sure.”
Credit the weather.
The usual suspect when conditions turn sour, the weather is also the savior when things are right.