Most of our field tiles still have very light discharge. Planting progress at 98%. Waiting on some organic growers to get finished up.

Thank you to everyone doing your best rain dances! June started off with 1.1 inches of much needed rain as we are still in a D1 drought in northern IL with some areas in the freeport area reaching D2. As of Wednesday nearly of all of Northern IL received some moisture, with many areas averaging around 1 inch of rain. Plants around the region are emerged and are progressing through early vegetative states. Plants overall are a bit stunted from the lack of moisture, but should shoot up after the rain and with more rain in the forcast.

Corn: The crop is progressing along. Every field I saw has emerged with most fields ranging between V2 and V4 pushing V5 depending on planting date. Corn looks healthy and green with no disease seen yet.

Soybeans: Soybeans are anywhere between V1 and V3 and emerging uniformly across the region. They are healthy and green, with some areas seeing herbicide drift damage but the plants will grow out of this quickly.

Wheat: The crop is well on its way into Feekes 11 (ripening), or is in the very late stages of Feekes 10.5.3 (full anthesis). I have not seen much if any disease this season thus far with the continued dry weather. With the large rain on Wednesday and more predicted early next week disease may start to creep in with various head blights. Scouting will be your best defense of knowing what is in the field.

Overall the season is moving along quickly and we should be seeing some great growth over the next couple of weeks

At the time of my survey (6/3) in northern Champaign County, soil moisture conditions were near normal in the top several inches, although some wet corners and low areas of fields could still be found. But with about an inch of rain falling on Wednesday (6/4), soils are currently a little on the wet side. Overall, the corn and soybean crops are looking healthy in the area with some of the corn starting to take off. The average growth stage of corn fields encountered during my survey was around V3-V4 with some of the earlier planted fields reaching V6-V7. Side-dress ammonia was being applied in a few corn fields in the area, as well. Soybeans were largely in the VC-V1 range, with a few fields a bit further along. Weed control looked good, for the most part, and post-emergence herbicide applications had been made in many of the soybean fields visited. Wheat fields surveyed were finished flowering (Feekes 10.5.4) but developing kernels are still in the “watery ripe” stage.

Soybeans are VC to V3 depending on planting date. Corn is V5 to V1 depending on planting date. Crop has seemed to stall with the cool weather. We are dry, but there is still adequate subsoil moisture. Rain and heat are in the forecast for this week – both will be welcomed!

There are still planters out in the field, mostly replanting both corn and soybeans. There are some fields with less than desired stands and they really seem to be showing up from the road. There are also side-dressing of corn as well as post herbicide applications being made on corn and earlier planted soybeans. No major pests or diseases. Excited for the heat this week to get some crop growth.

1 inch rain over night. 85% done planting corn and soybeans. 50% emerged or bigger. Last 10 days insane progress planting. Sidedress UAN Beginning on early planted corn. Some post soybean spraying in areas.

Conditions have remained favorable for crop growth across Logan County over the last week. Nearly all of the fields across the county have been planted and emerged. Some of the earlier-planted corn has reached V3 or V4 stages, with most corn still in the V1-V2 stage. For soybeans, the earlier-planted fields are in the V2 stage, while most others are in the VC-V1 stage.

The crop conditions across my 3-county area vary from just planted corn to V4 stage corn. The soybean fields are much the same with newly planted to almost V3 (3rd trifoliate). Sidedressing of corn and post emergent weed control are in progress. Crops look good except for fields that have experienced severe weather damage.

The recent rains have brought some much needed relief for crops in the early growing season. Northern IL in general still remains in a D1 drought stemming from the dry winter and dry spring. The Dekalb area has received 1.5-2 inches of rain in the past week which has pushed the remaining fields in the region to emergence. May overall has brought under 5 inches of rain to date.

Corn has emerged in most if not all fields. The crop is ranging from VE to pushing V4. The early drought at planting along with cooler temperatures since emergence has stunted the corn slightly, but the crop has great vigor and is showing no signs of major drought stress currently. There are very few wet spots in fields and little to no disease or root rots in fields.

Soybeans are still emerging and pushing through in some of the no-till fields. Fields that have emerged are ranging from VE to V2 with second trifoliates unfolding. Beans overall look healthy with uniform emergence, and are showing no signs of drought or disease.

Wheat is at full head and growth stage Feeks 10.5.3, or full anthesis. The dry conditions have kept disease down overall and fields are looking clean. With the recent rain disease monitoring will continue as we scout for head scab and various seed blights.

A considerable amount of planting has taken place over the last two weeks. A decent number of cornfields are spiking around the county. I’ve also spotted a couple of soybean fields around V2. The photo I’m adding is one of those fields, where the stand was a little spotty and it had already been replanted, with the interseeded beans just cracking the surface. The last major storm predicted over Memorial Day weekend fizzled out, which helped planting considerably.

Wheat is starting to senesce in areas damaged by standing water. While the bulk of the field is still green, it’s clear we are just a few weeks out from maturity.