In general, this year’s planting season has been pretty smooth until the last week. Last Sunday and Monday, temperatures dipped into frost territory. The frost settling in lower spots either set back this year’s corn and soybeans or killed them.
Stuart Welden, field sales representative for Specialty Hybrids, says to make your decisions on whether you replant based on data, not from the windshield.
“As a farmer, the key to it is scout, scout, scout,” he said. “Take the time to do it and if you can’t do it, have one of your kids, hired hands or a friend do it for you and do a good assessment of what’s out there and what you have. Don’t rush to any conclusions, especially on soybeans. It pays to look.”
This frost built upon previous frosts Michigan experienced in May.
“Earlier on in the season, there were some ultra-early soybeans planted, and those got wiped out in some of the low areas—more so than in past years,” said Welden.
As a result, there have been farmers who have had to do some replanting this season and might have to do more.
“It is regionalized or spotty,” said Welden. “I don’t anticipate for there to be whole fields ripped up and replanted. It is a field-by-field and case-by-case decision. Yes, I feel it’s going to be widespread, but not all fields in the wide area.”
Welden added that farmers should not get in a big hurry either, especially when making decisions on soybeans.
“It’s amazing how resilient the soybean plant is—I wouldn’t rush the decision,” he said. “With the most recent frost from this weekend, some of the plants almost look like herbicide damage. It’s too early for me to make a decision on some of the fields I walked [Wednesday]. We need a few more days with some heat and the plant can utilize what moisture is there.”
Specialty Hybrids will provide 100 for replant for their customers. For more information, contact your local field sales representative.
