Great Bend Tribune
Published April 11, 2021
As of April 8,听the Drought Monitor is showing continuing improved conditions remaining.听The rains of Tuesday and Wednesday of last week aren鈥檛 included.听Abnormally dry conditions have retreated even further west, none of the state is in extreme drought, there is very little severe drought left out west and moderate drought is confined to the extreme western counties. The six to ten-day outlook (April 13 to 17) indicates temperatures well below normal and average to slightly above average precipitation. The eight to 14-day outlook (April 15 to 21) indicates slightly below normal precipitation and below normal temperatures.听Today, let鈥檚 take a breath and catch up to where we are Ag-wise.
- First a quick look at the long-term weather outlook.听Through July, above normal temperatures and somewhat below normal precipitation.听For our area, this trend is forecast to continue through October.听This is only an outlook and hardly set in stone.听 And it doesn鈥檛 indicate the extent of heat or possible drought.
- We went from the mid-80s to low 30s in less than twenty-four hours last week.听We experienced thunderstorms, hail, and a few hours later snow.听Is this common?听No, but it鈥檚 hardly rare.听There has been snowfall recorded in the area in early May.听While these extremes can be tough on plants and some gardeners are second-guessing planting early, what really matters for most plants, especially our crops is not only a frost but how low the temperature drops and for how long.听We didn鈥檛 experience freezing temperatures last week.听However, this is why it鈥檚 recommended to wait and plant broadleaves like soybeans until May in this area.听The growing point is above the soil surface and if it is lost the plant will die.听However, for grasses like corn and grain sorghum the growing point is still below the soil surface for approximately a month after germination so a frost may burn back leaves but not kill the plant.
- The wheat crop is jointing so the growing point is now above the soil surface which means susceptibility to frost damage.听The rains and cooler temperatures forecast are just what wheat and the oats in the area want.听 As of now insect pressure appears low.听 Alfalfa also appreciates this weather and is growing nicely, however, insect feeding is increasing and spraying is occurring.
- The drier conditions after recent rains mean corn and then soybeans should have more than adequate moisture for germination and establishment based on the weather outlook.听For corn, we aren鈥檛 as concerned about the air temperature as much as the two-inch soil temperature.听It should be at least fifty degrees at noon at a two-inch depth.听 As of Thursday morning, the two-inch soil temperatures in the region from the K-State Mesonet were 48 degrees in Stafford County with a seven-day average of 53听degrees.听At Hays 46 and 53 degrees were the current and average temperatures.听So in plain English, we are in good shape to plant corn, especially dryland, as soon as soil moisture conditions permit.