I would imagine that as soon as soils dry up from the recent rains, field operations will kick into high gear for the start of the 2025 planting season. No matter how much advanced planning you have done, this time of year always seems rushed. The seeds will not grow in the bag, and you never know how much of the ideal planting window you will get.
I learned something new this week. Ohio State University CFAES has a series of weather stations around the state, and one of these is here in Wooster. You can access the system by visiting https://weather.cfaes.osu.edu. On the website you will find the current weather information and graphs tracking growing degree day (GDD) accumulation, rainfall, and soil temperatures. You will also be able to find historic weather data dating back to 1948. As of today, we are slightly ahead of the historical accumulation of GDD and precipitation. As of the end of March, we are up to 84 GDD. Soil temperatures are hovering around 41 degrees F.
As we begin field operations, we need to keep a few points in mind for our earliest plantings. It is generally understood that you want to wait until near ideal conditions to plan corn. This usually means that most producers will start with soybeans and then switch to corn once conditions are right. Soybeans seem to do even better when they are stressed a little, but we still want to help them get off to a good start. Cool soils slow germination and seedling emergence. Early planted bean seeds can stay in the ground for about 25 days before they emerge. This allows an opportunity for the young seedling to be impacted by bacterial pathogens. It is recommended that you consider seed treatments that contain both a fungicide and insecticide to limit these early season pests. If you plant a range of soybean maturities, plant the full-season varieties first. Soybeans flower based on day length. When we reach the summer solstice and day length starts to decrease, this is the plant’s cue to flower. Full-season beans need more time to reach the three-trifoliate stage pre-solstice for maximum yield potential. It is always recommended to start your season weed-free to limit competition with your crop. Conditions last season may have reduced the effectiveness of some herbicide programs and you should be scouting your fields to see what is germinating this year so that you can target your programs to deal with what you may be facing.
Programs: Ruminant parasites, Small Grains Field Day, Dairy Summit and Twilight Tour
We have several programs that we want to keep you aware of as we move through planting season. Our next formal program will be a small ruminant parasite management workshop and FAMACHA certification program on May 16th. The class will be held at the OSU Small Ruminant Center on Fredricksburg Rd from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. As the program title indicates, we will be discussing internal parasite identification and management in sheep and goats. Participants will have an opportunity to collect samples and inspect them under microscope to determine parasite burden. The cost of the program is $40 and will provide you with your FAMACHA certification card; lunch will be provided. Call the Extension Office to make a reservation. Space is limited to the first 20 participants.
The 2025 Small Grains Field Day will be held on the OSU Wooster Campus-Schaffter Farm on June 18. There will be presentations on wheat profitability; fertility; pest management; a summer weather outlook; and tours of the OSU wheat and barley breeding plots and the USDA ARS Soft Wheat Quality Lab. The program is sponsored by the Ohio Corn and Wheat Board and is free to all attendees. We ask that you call the Extension office to place a courtesy reservation for lunch.
The Wayne-Ashland Dairy Service Unit will host their annual Dairy Summit and Twilight Tour on July 15th. This year’s host is the Sarah Douglas family at Zido Dairy. The committee is currently recruiting sponsors for the program, and I encourage you to watch the OSU Extension website for updates as more details are confirmed. If you are interested in any of these programs, you can check out the events calendar on our website at wayne.osu.edu. As always, I wish you a safe and prosperous planting season. If you have any questions or would like more information about one of our programs, you can contact me at the OSU Extension office – Wayne County at 330-264-8722.
John Yost is an extension educator IV, Agriculture and Natural Resources, at OSU Extension-Wayne County.
This article was previously published in The Daily Record.