Air April 7, 2004

Thank you Gary, and good morning everyone.

It appears, knock on wood, that the army cutworm situation is dying down. But we really need to keep an eye on the alfalfa weevil. Numbers are exploding and every field that I've been in and everyone that I have talked to are finding more and more larvae and we are already spraying. By the time the field is to the point that it is looking frosted as you drive by, there is serious damage and you probably missed the critical treatment period. And the problem with alfalfa weevil damage is that it not only hurts this cutting, but study after study have shown that it hurts every cutting the rest of the year. Let's be getting out there looking and if you are finding 1.5 to 2 larvae per stem, you'd better get on the list or get the sprayer cranked up.

It seems like many people want to do everything by the calendar. We want to plant by the calendar and harvest by the calendar and just everything by the calendar. But while the calendar can get us in the ballpark, we really need to let nature tell us when to do what. Planting is obviusly on our mind right now. So when do we plant our corn or soybeans or milo? The old timers always talked about planting corn when the oak leaves were the size of squirrels ears. What size is that anyway? Well, we know we want to plant corn preferably in April but definitely before we are too far into May, just because of what late June, July and August can be like in Kansas. What we know is that corn needs a minimum soil temperature of 50 degrees and probably better at 55 degrees. Well, last Friday the weekly average soil temp in Manhattan was 55 degrees. But yesterday it had dropped to 53. By the end of the week it may be a little higher and probably will be. So we can plant corn anytime now - field corn that is, keep sweet corn in the package until May 1st or so. Soybeans need soil temperatures above 60 and sorghum really doesn't like cold feet so think 68 to 70 degree soil temperature. But use a little common sense, because we also know that we can easily have a frost well into May! No need to get caught in that scenerio!!

This is Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent, with Ag Outlook 2004.

Return to Radio Home Page

Return to Ag Home Page