It was a slow start to get that seed in the ground for farmers, and now attention is turning to how weather may impact crops in the weeks ahead.
Roughly 95% of corn and 90% of soybeans are in the ground across the area. Due to the wet spring, the crop stages vary widely from one field to another. Some crops are already approaching the more critical reproductive stages while others are just being planted now. Moisture has been adequate for those crops to grow so far. However, there is concern as we reach those more critical stages of growth given the forecast of hot and dry weather over the next two weeks.
"We can see reductions in yields with extended hot and dry periods," says Ohio State University Auglaize County Extension Educator Jamie Hampton. "For soybeans, your most vulnerable in that seedpod development stage, and with corn, in the development stage for their crop as well. We're wanting to get some decent rain in there to soil that down a little bit," adds Hampton.
Hampton also adds that some soybean farmers are looking at a couple rounds of replant where the beans have been damaged from soil crusting and compaction. While the window for corn planting is closing, farmers can still get in a successful soybean crop if planted by mid-July.
