Author Archives: JenBrhel
Plant #Soybeans Early for Increased Yields
While I got this posted in our CropWatch Web site, I didn’t get it on my blog till now! Hopefully this inspires many of you to get soybeans planted yet this week! 
Planters are rolling throughout the state and given the size of today’s equipment corn planting is rapidly progressing. Based on UNL research, we would encourage you to consider planting your soybeans as soon as possible—preferably before the end of April for the southern two-thirds of Nebraska and or the first week of May for the northern third of Nebraska. While evening temperatures have been low, consider the percent risk of frost for emerged plants not planted seeds. The above recommendation considers a 10% risk of frost 7-10 days after planting, the time when soybeans would most likely emerge.
Why plant early? Five years of UNL small plot and on-farm research has proven that early planted soybeans yield more than late planted beans—regardless of whether the spring has been cold and wet or warm and dry. Soybeans are a photoperiod-sensitive crop so the goal is to allow the plant to use the sun’s energy to accumulate as many nodes as possible as day length decreases after June 21. Nodes are important because that’s where pods, seeds, and ultimately yield are produced. The goal is to have the soybean canopy “green to the eye by the fourth of July!”. Thus the plants are absorbing all the sunlight possible not allowing any to be wasted by hitting the soil.
Table 1 shows how three years of on-farm research have resulted in an average of 3 bu/ac yield increase (with a range of 1-10 bu/ac depending on the year and the planting date range of early versus later planting). With today’s soybean prices, a 3 bu/ac yield increase adds up (see Table 2). We do recommend a fungicide/insecticide seed treatment to reduce the risk of damping off diseases and bean leaf beetles which tend to feed on early-planted soybeans.
Several previous CropWatch articles explain soybean planting date in more detail. Please see these for more information:
- For Increased Yields Plant Soybeans in Next Two Weeks
- Three Reasons Why Soybean Planting Date Matters
- Farm Research Shows Benefits of Planting Soybeans Early
- Risks and Caveats of Early Planting Soybeans
Table 1: Nebraska On-farm Research Early and Late Planted Soybean Yield Results (2008-2010)
|
Year |
Producer |
Date |
Reps |
Rainfed/ Irrigated |
Variety |
Row Spacing |
Yield (bu/acre) |
|
2008 |
SCAL Early |
Apr. 29 |
3 |
Irrigated |
Producers 286 |
30” |
67.2 |
|
2008 |
SCAL Late |
May 15 |
3 |
Irrigated |
Producers 286 |
30” |
65.8 |
|
2008 |
Seward Co. Early |
Apr. 30 |
3 |
Irrigated |
NC+ 2895 |
30” |
68.4 |
|
2008 |
Seward Co. Late |
May 19 |
3 |
Irrigated |
NC+ 2895 |
30” |
66.2 |
|
2008 |
York Co. Early |
Apr. 23 |
8 |
Irrigated |
Producers 286 |
30” |
66.9 |
|
2008 |
York co. Late |
May 14 |
8 |
Irrigated |
Producers 286 |
30” |
63.5 |
|
2008 |
Fillmore Co. Early |
Apr. 30 |
7 |
Irrigated |
Pioneer 93M11 |
30” |
81.0 |
|
2008 |
Fillmore Co. Late |
May 19 |
7 |
Irrigated |
Pioneer 93M11 |
30” |
77.5 |
|
2009 |
SCAL Early |
Apr. 27 |
4 |
Rainfed |
Pioneer 93M11 |
30” |
37.6+ |
|
2009 |
SCAL Late |
May 18 |
4 |
Rainfed |
Pioneer 93M11 |
30” |
37.2 |
|
2009 |
Saunders Co. Early |
May 3 |
6 |
Rainfed |
NC+ A63RR |
15” |
66.6 |
|
2009 |
Saunders Co. Late |
May 21 |
6 |
Rainfed |
NC+ A63RR |
15” |
65.1 |
|
2009 |
SCAL Early |
Apr. 27 |
4 |
Irrigated |
Pioneer 93M11 |
30” |
70.2 |
|
2009 |
SCAL Late |
May 18 |
4 |
Irrigated |
Pioneer 93M11 |
30” |
68.1 |
|
2009 |
Fillmore Co. Early |
Apr. 24 |
4 |
Irrigated |
Pioneer 93M11 |
30” |
69.5 |
|
2009 |
Fillmore Co. Late |
May 15 |
4 |
Irrigated |
Pioneer 93M11 |
30” |
68.4 |
|
2009 |
Seward Co. Early |
Apr. 24 |
4 |
Irrigated |
NC+ 2A63 |
30” |
73.2 |
|
2009 |
Seward Co. Late |
May 20 |
4 |
Irrigated |
NC+ 2A63 |
30” |
71.3 |
|
2009 |
York Co. Early |
Apr. 30 |
3 |
Irrigated |
NK 28B4 |
30” |
59.1 |
|
2009 |
York Co. Late |
May 15 |
3 |
Irrigated |
NK 28B4 |
30” |
58.6 |
|
2010 |
Saunders Co. Early |
Apr. 18 |
6 |
Rainfed |
Channel 2751 |
15” |
75.7 |
|
2010 |
Saunders Co. Late |
May 18 |
6 |
Rainfed |
Channel 2751 |
15” |
71.2 |
|
2010 |
Seward Co. Early |
Apr. 19 |
6 |
Irrigated |
Channel 3051RR |
30” |
72.0 |
|
2010 |
Seward Co. Late |
May 24 |
6 |
Irrigated |
Channel 3051RR |
30” |
62.3 |
|
|
Average Early |
|
|
|
|
|
70.0* |
|
|
Average Late |
|
|
|
|
|
67.1 |
*Statistically significant at 95% level.
+SCAL Rainfed was not included in the combined statistical analysis but Saunders Co. Rainfed was compared with irrigated yields from other locations.
Table 3: Economic Advantage to a 3 bu/ac Yield Increase Due to Early Soybean Planting Date
| Price of Soybeans | $ 7.00 | $ 8.00 | $ 9.00 | $ 10.00 | $ 11.00 | $ 12.00 | $ 13.00 | $ 14.00 |
| Economic Advantage | $ 21.00 | $ 24.00 | $ 27.00 | $ 30.00 | $ 33.00 | $ 36.00 | $ 39.00 | $ 42.00 |
Spring Miller Moths!
They’re everywhere! Finding ways to get inside homes, lining the sides of houses, and swarming around lights at night. The
For homeowners, if you have shrubs or bushy plants around your homes, you may notice more of these millers as they reside in these types of areas. There’s no chemical for controlling them. Some things you can do are change your outside lights from white to yellow and keep outside lighting to a minimum. Also caulking can help. Ultimately, they’re a short term nuisance and more information about their life cycle and management from Dr. Bob Wright, UNL Extension Entomologist, can be found at our UNL CropWatch Web site.
Lawn Care
I really appreciated Gary Zoubek presenting at our lawn care workshop last Thursday! I also appreciated all the questions and
good discussion; hopefully everyone walked away learning at least one new idea or tip!
One common question was what to do with areas that were killed out by summer patch last summer. Summer patch is a fungal disease that is favored by applying nitrogen too early in the spring, by a compromised root system by too wet of soils in the spring, by stress from summer heat, and irrigating in the evenings. Last year I was receiving calls from all over the County regarding this disease. Eventually affected areas can refill, but in many cases, that just didn’t happen. Preventive fungicides right now are recommended to help prevent the fungus from causing damage to your lawn again this summer. 
So besides a preventive fungicide what can you do? The best time to reseed is actually in the fall. One option is to keep these areas weed-free including of crabgrass so that doesn’t overtake these areas. Reseed with a disease resistant variety in the fall following the recommendations in this extension circular.
Your other option is to reseed/overseed right now with a disease resistant variety knowing that you may fight crabgrass this first year. Overseeding and reseeding are recommended to occur from now through May 1 for Kentucky bluegrass and from now to early June for tall fescue. You can determine the correct timing of all lawn practices by visiting the turf calendar Web site. Simply choose whether you have Kentucky bluegrass or fescue. Click on a lawn practice and scroll the circle on the calendar area to the current month to find the recommendation for that time.
Some other tips regarding lawn care: sharpening lawn mower blades is key to not shredding the grass which can invite pathogens that cause disease; mulch lawn clippings as often as possible as they contain nitrogen that can be released back into the soil; use a fertilizer product with the highest amount of a slow release nitrogen as possible (check fine print on the fertilizer bag); and sweep or use a leaf blower to send all clippings and granular pesticides back onto the lawn as leaving them on the sidewalk allows for them to be washed into the gutters and eventually lakes and streams. Right now, a silvery colored fungus called powdery mildew is visible in places in lawns that are shady or have minimal air movement. We don’t typically recommend a fungicide as this disease is more aesthetic than harmful.
Here’s wishing you a nice lawn this summer! Also a reminder of our free Container Gardening workshop to be held April 19th from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Clay County Fairgrounds. Elizabeth Killinger, UNL Extension Educator, will be presenting on container gardening for vegetables and flowers, creating a few container gardens for door prizes, and provide creative ideas for container gardening. Please RSVP at 402-762-3644 so we can have a meal count, hope to see you there, and invite your friends!
Weeds in #lawns & Management!
Happy April! The weather sure has been interesting! Since my last columns, UNL has come out with some altered 
recommendations for turf. So letting you know that according to Zac Reicher, Professor of Turfgrass Science, he is recommending an application at 50% of the high label rate rate of crabgrass control now in the form of dithiopyr and then plan on making a sequential application at 50% of the high label rate in early to mid-June with a dithiopyr product. Crabgrass is already emerging and this product helps with grass that’s already emerged as well as controlling crabgrass pre-emerge.
Also information from Zac: Preemergence herbicide applications for broadleaves can start anytime now and assuming typical weather, sequential applications should be planned for in June. Almost all of the current preemergence herbicides (dithiopyr, pendiamethalin, prodiamine) are available as fertilizer/herbicide combinations, but cool-season grasses need little nitrogen in the early spring regardless if it is in March this year or late April in most years. Therefore, it is important to use a herbicide/fertilizer combination with as little nitrogen as possible to avoid a large growth flush and maximize long-term health of the plant. The problem is finding a product with little or no N. If you find a selection of products, do some quick math and calculate which product delivers the lowest amount of N/1000 sq ft, preferably 0.50 to 0.75 lbs N/1000 sq ft. Additionally, slow release N will extend the window of N release and minimize the potential growth spike after
application. Slow release sources include sulfur- or polymer-coated urea, urea formaldehyde, methylenediurea, dimethylenetriurea, or natural organic nitrogen. These are listed on the label as “slowly water soluble” or “water insoluble”. Pay special attention to N sources followed by an asterisk and be sure read and follow the entire label of any product you apply. With the unusual weather this year and the increased need for sequential applications, each application usually applies about 50 to 75% of that which would be applied when using a single application. Applying two applications at lower rates will also reduce the nitrogen applied in each application, which is beneficial at this time of year.
The following sources explain more about the math calculations:
• Update: Warm soils and forecast are revising recommendations for preemergence herbicides
• Lawn Care Pro Series: Crabgrass and Other Summer Annual Grasses
• Do it yourself: Choosing preemergence herbicides
• Crabgrass Control in Homelawns
April 1 Flowers-No Fooling!
April 1st, while typically a day of pranks and jokes, has one obvious truth. Spring has arrived in full force with flowering plants at least 2-3 weeks earlier than normal. I couldn’t believe that my lilacs, which typically bloom around mid-May were blooming for the first time today! I planted many of the bulbs and shrubs last fall and have been rewarded with beauty, color, and lovely smells via God’s creation this spring; enjoy the pics!
Lawn, Garden, Spring
Well, this weekend I mowed my yard for the first time this spring-hard to believe for March! For two weeks I’ve been advising people to wait on fertilizing or applying crabgrass preventer on their lawns. It’s hard for me not to stop my vehicle everytime I see someone using a lawn spreader right now and ask them to wait! It’s too early to apply pre-emergent herbicides and fertilizer. Wait another month (till at least April 20) before the first fertilizer of 1 lb/1000 sq. ft is applied. At that same time, pre-emergence herbicides can also be applied. Wait to overseed Kentucky bluegrass lawns till April 1 and Fescue lawns till April 15. You can check out a calendar of recommendations for all things concerning your lawn at the following site: http://turf.unl.edu/lawncalendars.cfm. When overseeding winter-killed areas, core aerate or power rake the lawn prior to overseeding to encourage seed to soil contact for better germination. Also, don’t apply herbicides to areas where you have overseeded as this will affect the germination of new seedlings.
A timely meeting for lawn care has been scheduled and you can learn more by attending a Lawn Care for Home-Owners meeting Thursday, April 12 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. There is no charge and light refreshments will be provided. Learn about fertilizer labels and timing, calibrating your lawn spreader; irrigation timing for lawns; and calendars for lawn care maintenance. Please RSVP to the Clay County Extension Office at (402) 762-3644 or jrees2@unl.edu.
Garden: It’s been hard for me to resist the temptation to remove the winter mulch I had on my perennials and flower beds but in the event of frost which still is a good possibility, it may be good to leave it on awhile longer if new growth has not occurred. Kelly Feehan, UNL Extension Educator from Platte County advises if new growth is beginning to occur on your herbaceous perennials, to rake the leaves/mulch into a nearby pile. This allows the new growth to get acclimated to sunlight but allows 
I know some people have planted peas and potatoes. Check out the Vegetable Planting Guide that Gary Zoubek, UNL Extension Educator in York developed for suggested vegetable planting dates for our area: http://york.unl.edu/water-environment. Thursday, April 5th, Backyard Farmer returns for its 60th season on NET1 at 7:00 p.m.! Also, on Thursday, April 19th, we will have a workshop on Container Gardening Fun at the Clay County Fairgrounds from 5:30-7:00 p.m. More information to come! Please RSVP to jrees2@unl.edu or (402) 762-3644.
Waiting on Spring Tasks
The warm weather is creating the temptation to get outside and garden! But patience is a virtue and it’s only March! Here are some great tips from Elizabeth Killinger, UNL Extension Educator in Hall County about waiting on spring tasks.
The warm weather these past few days has gotten everyone ready to head outside and get their hands dirty. Just because it feels like spring, doesn’t mean we have to finish all of our spring to-dos now.
It may be tempting to completely remove all of the leaves and mulch from around tender perennials, but don’t give in. Strawberries, roses, chrysanthemums, and other tender plants can be protected from the fluctuating winter temperatures with winter mulch. If the mulch is removed too soon, new growth can form on the plant too early. This new growth is susceptible to damage caused by cold temperatures. Try and delay the removal of winter mulches as long as possible, but be sure it is removed before new growth begins. If the warm temperatures have caused new plant growth, rake the mulch to the side, but don’t remove it completely. If freezing temperatures are forecasted…
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Spring!
Happy Belated Spring! I meant to get this posted earlier this week but just didn’t get it done. I love living in Nebraska and 
being able to observe God’s creation via the changes in seasons! Spring and Fall are probably my favorite, but there’s beauty in all of them. Everything is 2-3 weeks early this year so will be interesting to see if we end up with March going out like a lion or if we end up with an Easter freeze like we did a few years ago. While it wasn’t a bad winter, I always enjoy seeing new life and green in the springtime!
Grass greening up in front lawn. Sending this pic out to my husband who has seen grass very little in 9.5 months in Afghanistan! Will look forward to you helping me mow when you return! : )
My favorite tree is the magnolia and someday I hope to have one! I always enjoy going to UNL East Campus in the spring and seeing the magnolias in bloom. However, I was surprised how quickly they bloomed this year and that they were already loosing their blossoms!
Through the leaf mulch even my iris and daylillies are emerging. I haven’t removed mulch yet in the event we end up with a cold snap. It’s still early, though tempting!
Great resources from UNL regarding horticulture and turf: http://byf.unl.edu/ and http://turf.unl.edu/.
Crop Science Investigation Camp
This is the first year we are doing a Crop Science Investigation (CSI) Big Red Camp for youth! We’d encourage any youth who enjoy plants, science, and agriculture who are 15-18 years old and who are interested in having fun learning about these topics to check this out! Big Red Camps are open to youth in any State. Please help spread the word!
Are you interested in science, agriculture, plants, crops, insects, or diseases? If so, join our team of detectives to solve crop-related problems in the Crop Science Investigation (CSI) Big Red Camp! Become a detective while participating in hands-on sessions to learn about and increase your knowledge of crops, science, and agricultural careers. Youth detectives will interact with agronomic professionals across Nebraska to solve experiments in: nutrient management; managing disease, insect and weed problems; water management; crop production, and much more! Do you have what it takes to become a CSI detective?
There are a variety of careers related to plant sciences such as: Agricultural Communicator; Agronomist; Cro
p Consultant; Crop Insurance Adjuster; Educator; Co-op Manager; Farmer or Rancher; Farm Credit Banker; Field or Lab Researcher; Plant Breeder; Soil or Water Conservationist; Seed, Fertilizer, or Chemical Sales; or Technical Representative.
Scholarships are available in the amount of $300 to participants…
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Protecting #Nebraska #Ag & #Farm Transition
A few weeks ago I shared some thoughts with you regarding what I learned from an animal welfare conference. We have an opportunity to hear more in at a much closer location-Sutton Community Center in Sutton-on March 12th at 6:00 p.m. Dewey Lienemann, UNL Extension Educator will be presenting on “Protecting Nebraska Agriculture” following a meal sponsored by the Sutton Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee as well as area Cattlemen Associations, Breeders & Feeders, and Ag Producer groups. Anyone interested is invited to attend-and I would encourage anyone who possibly can to attend. This topic not only affects livestock producers, it affects crop producers, and consumers as well. It’s very important to understand how various interest groups are attacking animal agriculture and why and how we in rural America can share our stories. Please pre-register by contacting Tory Duncan at (402) 773-5576 or ccntory@gmail.com or Todd Mau at (402) 773-5224 or todd@toddstrailers.com.
Another opportunity for learning more about family farm transition is with the last Farmers/Ranchers College program this year. It will be March 15 in Friend at the San Carlos Community Room (next to the Pour House) with meal beginning at 6:00 p.m. (Registration at 5:30 p.m.) The program entitled “Discussing the Undiscussabull” will be presented by Elaine Froese from Manitoba, Canada. Froese’s expertise in helping families get unstuck is sought after across the country. She has worked with families in business for over 20 years and is now coaching the next generation. Elaine believes that change is an opportunity, not a threat…she has practical tools to help people discuss the “undiscussabull” to make their dreams come true. In order to save your spot and reserve a meal, registration is needed by calling the Fillmore County Extension office at (402) 759-3712. The Farmers & Ranchers College is sponsored by area agribusiness, commodity groups in collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.
JenResources 