After a week of relatively good weather, farmers have mostly finished planting. Crops are starting to grow with the warmer weather but crops are quite variable. Having spent some time out West in the states of eastern Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and even Texas; overall the crops look good. That is until you get about an hour west of Fort Wayne and into Northwestern Ohio along US Route 30; then unfortunately, the ground is soggy and crops are still struggling to emerge. Eastern Indiana, and Northwest Ohio had some good crops but many fields just recently got planted. Now forecasted weather reports are coming out saying that the USA has a 60-100% chance of a “Super El Nino” developing between May and July and lasting until the end of the year. In El Nino years, surface water in the eastern Pacific Ocean warms up and this causes extreme weather across the USA. In extreme Super El Nino years, the sea surface temperatures rise 2.5-3.00C or causes about a 4.5-5.40...

  Seed imbibition is the process by which dry seeds absorb water, swell, and start germinating. A corn seed will absorb 30% of its weight in water while a soybean seed absorbs 50% water by weight to start germinating. Water moves into the seed coat, to the embryo, and the endosperm which greatly expands the seed and softens the seed coat. Soon radical roots start growing which are the first seed roots. For corn and soybeans, the soil temperature needs to be above 500F but 600F to 700F is much better. Seeds can take 18-20 days to germinate at 500F, but only 8-10 days at 600F and 1-5 days at 700F. This measurement is taken 2 inches deep in the soil. Generally, the soil temperature and moisture are a little more uniform when seeds are planted at least 2 inches deep or deeper. Corn can be planted 3 inches deep to get a more uniform emergence or at least down to moisture. Most areas have received adequate moisture this spring, but there are still areas with much less moisture due to thi...

  Migrating birds are already flocking together and some bird migration from the North has already started. The cicadas have been singing for several weeks. Are we due for an early frost? The first week of September has cold front from the north moving in and it is possible a few low-lying areas may see some light frost. Here is some data for first frosts in Ohio.  Frost dates are based on 1991–2020 climate data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This site uses a 30% probability threshold, meaning there is a 3 in 10 chance frost will occur before or after the given date. Microclimates vary, so this is a flexible guide, not a guarantee. For example, towns and cities tend to be 5-10°F warmer than farm land and surrounding areas. Lake Erie and large bodies of water tend to moderate temperatures. That means they are slower to warm up in the spring and slower to cool down in the fall. Here are some frost dates for various locations in Ohio.  At th...

  Farmers are starting to make progress on planting, but it's quite variable. Warmer temperatures and humid conditions are expected. Both the winter wheat and weeds are growing quickly. Not only weeds, but also many insects and diseases are becoming a problem this year. Wet soils tend to compact and create poor soil structure, which is a major problem if soil dries off. Farmers have a lot of things to worry about when it stays wet and it's time to get crops planted. On fast-growing weeds, corn has more restrictions for post applications of herbicides. Higher rates of herbicides will be needed along with post-emergent herbicides to control the weeds. Higher rates of Glyphosate (Roundup), Liberty Link corn, and Extend corn can help control most weeds but it is more difficult when weeds get big. The weeds are much easier to terminate when they are small. On insects, watch for wireworms and seed corn maggot. Seed corn maggots are often a problem early with the larva feeding on the ...

Dr. Aaron Wilson, OSU Climatologist gave a summary of current and future weather conditions.Dr. Wilson explained the difference between weather, which is current day to day events, and climate, which is long-term weather events over time. It’s like a man taking a dog for a walk. The dog is all over the place which is like our current weather, changing constantly. However the man is like our climate, he is walking in a certain direction while the dog follows erratically along. Dr. Wilson reviewed the 2023 past weather conditions and made predictions for the upcoming 2024 year. Overall, 2023 was warmer than normal, about 2-30F above normal. It was the 4th warmest year since 1895 and the 49th driest year, about 4 inches below normal precipitation. Last winter was warm, followed by a cold spring. June was hot and dry but the rest of the year had variable weather that was cooler than normal during the day but with warmer nights. On rainfall, it was lacking most of the year, but not for ever...

The warm weather this past week primed many farmers for spring planting. Government weather forecasting had gotten better but the results are still variable. According to the NOAA, the year 2020 was a year of extremes, with record temperatures, dry overall conditions, and forest fires in the West. Northwest Ohio was dry last year with some rain coming later in the summer and fall. This year, NOAA predicts slightly cooler temperatures as the weather moves away from a La Nina (80% probability) to a more neutral weather pattern. The El Nino Southern Oscillation or ENSO measures how warm the Pacific tropical ocean water temperatures are with El Nino’s being warmer and La Nina’s being cooler. NOAA predictions for the last half of April call for cooler than normal temperatures and possibly wetter than normal, depending on how quick the shift is from La Nina to neutral conditions. May and June, according to predictions, may be wetter than normal with normal temperatures. Government prediction...

The following information comes from a USDA-SARE grant on Midwest weather and climate. Extreme weather events may change your future farming operation. During wet springs, farmers often use larger equipment and additional hired help to plant in a shorter time period. Cover crops through evapotranspiration may dry the soil quicker. Controlled traffic also promote firmer soils for timely planting. The Ohio State University (OSU) is experimenting with autosteer and self- propelled robots which may allow equipment to get smaller. Smaller lighter equipment (3-4 rows) operated remotely using robotics decreases the weight and compaction factor and operate 24 hours per day. In 20 to 30 years (maybe sooner); planting, spraying and harvesting operations may be vastly different than it is today. With a longer growing season expected, farmers will plant earlier and use longer season crops hybrids that they harvest later. However, OSU research shows that longer crop maturities do not necessarily pr...