Early planted corn and soybean plants have emerged. Corn is in the 2-leaf stage, nearing the 3-leaf stage. Soybean plants are in the unifoliate stage with their first trifoliates developing. Surveyed 200 fields across my 3-county area, and approximately 75% of the fields are planted. Planting progress did vary widely from 30 to 100% complete due the spotty nature of this spring’s rains.
Ponding is evident in fields where the heavier May 3 rains fell. My Black Cutworm monitoring, according to the IL Natural History Survey, predicts that feeding damage may become evident around the Memorial Day weekend.

Planting is progressing in west central Illinois, though at a slower pace as most fields are already planted and only a few remain. Corn has begun to emerge, and soybean rows are becoming visible.

Everyone around here is hoping to not get any rain, so we can dry out to be able to plant again, maybe this weekend. There has been no planting or other fieldwork here since Mid-April. I attempted to take soybean populations and found a few drowned out spots that may need replanted. Some slower soybeans still trying to emerge in cool, wet conditions. Populations were running from 103,000 to 131,000.

Rain the last few weeks has limited activity in many parts of LaSalle County, but this week it has dried out a bit and we’ve had perfect weather for planting. Most have completed any planned spring tillage, and since Monday (5/5/25) I have seen many planters/sprayers out in the fields. The research and demonstration plots at Illinois Valley Community College will be planted this Friday (5/9/25). I anticipate many growers will be taking advantage of the sunny, warm weather in the forecast for the next week to finish planting.

Northwestern Illinois is in the home stretch of planting. I’ve been able to row quite a few corn fields, and beans have been reported as being up and out of the ground or just about. There are few fields that have yet to be planted.

Weeds such as giant ragweed and common lambsquarters are present in fields I’ve been in, and in one field that had not been worked yet, I saw the invasive weed poison hemlock, which was also present in the adjacent ditch. This serves as a reminder to maintain edge-of-field areas, as they can serve as entry points for invasive species.

This is a good time to scout for seedling pests, particularly in fields that have been slow to emerge/develop – as we get into warmer weather over the next couple of weeks, plants can outgrow a lot of seedling insect problems. So far, I’ve only received a smattering of reports.

It’s been wet. There were a couple of breaks in the rain long enough for anhydrous and burndowns to be applied, even a little early tillage, but no planting activity as far as I’ve seen. The wheat looks decent considering the 15+ inches of rain that have fallen since April 1st. In the last week, the wheat has headed out and started to flower.

Corn and soybean planting in northern LaSalle county both seem to be 60-70% completed with some producers having all their soybeans planted and are now focused on the corn. I’m expecting to see most producers in the area to wrap up planting most of the 2025 crop in the next 2 weeks- maybe less.

Planting continues to roll at a steady pace across Logan, Menard, and Sangamon counties. While there has been no rain since this past weekend, there is still ample moisture a few inches beneath the soil surface. Warm temps and scant changes of rain in the forecast will help producers finish planting. Of the corn and soybeans that have emerged, nearly all are in the VE stage.

After a wet and cool end of April in Northern IL planting is beginning to ramp up significantly this week. Temps are predicted to be in the 70’s and 80’s moving into next week and planted crops will begin to emerge quickly. As I traveled the Northern corridor in Dekalb county many fields remain to be planted. By early afternoon on Tuesday May 6th many fields were drying out and field tillage followed by planting was occuring. With a warm and dry outlook to finish the week and into the weekend planting condtions will be ideal to get acres in the ground for corn and soy.

Very few fields had emerged for corn, and were around 1 inch tall and V2 or just spiking. I did not see any soybeans emerging quite yet but should start to break through by the end of the week. Wheat in McHenry county was around Feekes 8 with multiple nodes showing on the plants, and was around 8 inches tall with very healthy stands.

In Morris IL conditions were a bit drier and planting was not delayed. Corn was emerging in numerous fields and was around 1-2 inches tall and V2. The corn was somewhat yellow in color from lack on sunshine since emergence but should recover with the predicted forecast calling for sunshine and warmer temperatures. Soybeans were emerging near Morris as well with 1 trifoliate in fields where they emerged. Planting will continue this week for both corn and soy as field conditions will be ideal.