We've all heard the old adage "knee-high by the Fourth of July" for farmers to measure the success of their crops.
Portions of Allen County have reached that point, but others are further behind where planting was delayed, especially over the eastern part of the county. Recent dry weather is a growing concern as there has been virtually no rain for two and a half weeks. Ohio State University Extension Allen County says they are seeing signs of heat stress ranging from root growth issues to getting those plants to grow. If the hot and dry weather continues, OSU Extension says that will impact the length of the corn which will impact yield in the long run. Periods of temperatures well into the 90s for at least four consecutive days are detrimental, especially if soil moisture isn't adequate.
"We're entering a stage where on corn, this kind of drought or heat stress is going to impact how many rows of kernel an ear of corn puts on, so it won't be as big around potentially, but that's relatively minor to heat stress that would happen later in the season," says OSU Extension Allen County Educator Clint Schroeder.
Weather will be key over the next few weeks. If we receive timely rains during corn pollination, we could easily still have a very good crop. Current forecasts are showing an increase in rain for the first half of July, but it is likely to remain hotter than normal.
