Blog

Early season April - June

Although I would love to be everywhere at once, a lot of my scouting for the 2021 season has been focused throughout Illinois stretching from Princeton to Altamont. This season I was able to make a trip down to Carbondale and was able to see fields of double crop beans coming up July 9. And I always make a trip up north to my favorite fields in Stockton at least twice a year, once in April and again September.

Cover crop mix, picture Dec. 16, 2020.

Stockton, IL field day April 2, 2021 at Greg Thorn’s field.

Cover crop fields in fall 2021 seemed to have a more ideal planting season than usual. A challenge on many farms during the fall is the time and labor it takes to put cover crops in. Although it seemed we could get most of the covers in late September early October, many were slow to emerge and get a lot of growth before the frost. Planting date, dry soils and cold temperatures contribute to the type of biomass in the fall. Although the fall may look like a disappointment for establishment, the spring will usually surprise you for what growth you’ll see.

For early season scouting there was great concern around stand establishment with early planted fields and cold temperatures. We again saw an early window of planted beans around April 6 and conditions seemed to be challenging in no-till cover crop fields as temperatures dropped early on. After the cold temperatures though, planting seemed to progress smoothly throughout the state.

Field planted to cereal rye Oct.5, 2020; Picture taken March 31, 2021.

Barley cover crop mix planted Oct. 6, picture March 24, 2021.

Soybeans planted April 6, picture taken April 16, 2021.

 

Mid Season June-July

With the majority of soybeans emerged by May 30, crop conditions have been good. Soybeans were now in the flowering stages around July 9. Not too many insects have been noticeable apart from some Japanese beetle feeding. Post herbicide applications have been wrapping up and field activities like fungicide applications have started around this time. 

Champaign Co. picture taken June 23.