The weather extremes continue as June has brought us heavy rain events and 90 degree temperatures with very high humidity. While maybe not the most comfortable conditions, although no one seems to be complaining after the long cold winter, the crops are enjoying the hot humid weather and are really growing well.
We finished our sidressing in good shape right before the rains came and have been able to run the late season nitrogen bar we had mentioned. Hopefully we will be able to get some good comparison data of applying a late dose of fertilizer. The old saying of knee high by the 4th of July will again be outdone this year. Most of the corn will be well over head high by then. I would also guess that some of our first corn will start to tassel right in that time frame also. Most of the corn is at about the v9-v11 stage now. On average, the hybrids will tassel at the v15 stage or 15 true leaves. Once the tassel emerges, the plant switches from vegetative growth to reproduction stages. Also when the tassel emerges, the corn plant is about as tall as it will get as its new focus is to produce grain. Most hybrids will use between 40-60% of their total nitrogen fertilizer needs around tassel time. This is the reason we are experimenting with the late season applications trying to ensure we have enough there when the plant needs it. The plants have already determined how many rows around each ear will be (always an even number) but the dominate ear has yet to be chosen. On average, it will be the ear on the 11-12th ear node. Each node on the plant can produce a leaf, an ear or a root, the plant will determine at which node the dominant ear will be. Sometimes there will be two but usually only one quality ear. With the season so far, we should see a lot of 18-20 rows around ears; and at least on the outside rows, some two ear stalks.
The beans had a harder time shaking the cold weather. They are now growing well. We have added some root growth inhibitors in our spray trip trying to aid in the root development to get them growing better. If we can keep them healthy, they will be fine. Slow growth though allows for insects and disease to set in so we will keep a close eye on them. The summer solstice triggers soybeans to start blooming so soybean reproduction cycle is starting. Soybeans can bloom at any height so we could have some short or not so tall soybeans this year (not necessarily a bad thing).
Below is a video of the Y drop nitrogen bar:
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