Northwest Agronomy Update

Jason Jensen

Northwest District

After a wet and unique weather pattern this winter, spring hopefully will hit soon. Currently, our soil seems to have reached full water holding capacity with many tile lines running strong. Some farmers held off on fertilizer applications to see if we received any rainfall this spring. Others waited to see if we were set up for another year of drought. If you were one of these customers, it is time to put a plan together to get your fertilizer applied when conditions are right.

We have started spreading urea on hay and pasture fields that are firm enough to get machines across. This will allow the early grass growth to take advantage of fertilizer. It will soon be time to apply what anhydrous is left to go on in the northern area. Many fields were taken care of last fall, so thankfully we don’t have as much to go on this spring.

In a few weeks, if the weather allows, it will also be time to start preplant spraying. This keeps our fields clean all season long. It can be a difficult task as spring rains do not allow a lot of time for this, but it is a critical step in keeping our fields

clean and optimizing yields.

With the frequent rain and snow events that we have been receiving, it appears that we may be set up for a wet spring. Adverse weather conditions make it more important than ever to have an agronomy plan in place. That way when go-time is here, we are ready to work in your fields. It is also a great time to sit down with your agronomist and go over seed placement before the rush of spring arrives. Placing seed on the correct acre is vital for optimum yield.

If you haven’t sat down with your agronomist and completed your agronomy plan for spring, call your local SFG agronomist and work through this plan before the “storm of the season” hits all of us. Have a great planting season and remember to stay safe this spring.