It has been a damp and cold spring, but agriculture officials say it hasn’t put area farmers too far behind.
The rain isn’t so much the problem but the soil temperatures that may cause a hiccup in the process. They say it has been ranging in the mid-’40s and it needs to be on average around 55 degrees for several days for any seen to germinate. They say frost is still a concern with the fluctuating air temperatures we’ve been seeing. The wet fall also had some farmers behind in the tillage process.
OSU Extension Officer for Allen County Clint Schroeder explains, “So we might see some of that stuff go on even if it’s a little bit too cold to put seed in the ground. But as I said within the next couple weeks, I think we’re going to get to that temperature where we can see some seeds starting to be planted.”
Another concern farmers may be facing is the availability of fertilizer and other products with the way the supply chain has been affected by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
Schroeder adds, “That could impact yields negatively. A lot of farmers are trying to plan. Looking at different sources of fertilizer changing their timing up as far as applications. Maybe instead of using as much upfront, try to use more in season. All those things present new challenges but there are a lot of options out there and it’s just for some farmers to be a little bit more inventive this year.”
Schroeder says they are excited about the warm temperatures forecasted for the weekend, but frost appears to be back next week.
