Warm winter means several things for farmers

A warmer winter than usual can mean several things for the upcoming growing season.

First, it raises concerns about the amount of potential nitrogen in fields, according to Ed Corrigan, technical agronomist with Brandt Consolidated.  If farmers have applied urea nitrogen early and on the surface, it could actually blow off into the atmosphere.  That’s because it is supposed to be applied in cold weather.  Corrigan doesn’t believe too much of that has occurred at this point.  He said the warm and dry conditions could be good news for farmers heading into planting.

“If it continues this way into the spring, we typically have seen those drier winters and warmer winters allow us to plant earlier, and allow us to get a better stand of corn or soybeans,” said Corrigan.  “Those two combinations together usually mean – as long as we get some moisture later on throughout the year like we normally would – our best yields come after a dry winter.”

Although things are a little dry in some areas, moisture levels are actually fine.  End of January statistics indicated things are a little drier than normal, but only two percent of soils are below adequate levels heading into the growing season.  Moisture levels are closer to average as you move to the southern part of the state.

One downside to a warmer than usual winter can be insect pressure, as more insects will likely survive the winter.  On the other hand, disease may be less as some of the residue containing disease breaks down in this kind of weather.

Corrigan said each area of Illinois has different insect pressures.  The Bloomington area has seen a significant amount of pressure from rootworms and rootworm beetles.

“We’re really focusing in hard on trying to make sure that they don’t end up hurting our root systems.  In dry weather, or drier soil, it’s more of an issue as far as losing that root.  So we are focused on trying to make sure growers have a good soil insecticide or some means to hold that root system intact and prepare for dry weather,” said Corrigan.

If it does stay dry and farmers are able to plant early – for corn in particular – they may want to plant a higher population on that earlier planting date.  According to Corrigan, that is one of the factors that gives farmers the most yield in a dry springtime.

“You would think that you’d maybe want to reduce your population according to a dry season, but it actually works out to where you can plant early, you probably want to take a look at making sure your populations are stronger than usual to get the maximum yield per acre,” said Corrigan.

To hear the interview with Ed Corrigan, click here:

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Carrie Muehling can be reached at carrie@wjbc.com.