We are slowly starting to dry out. Areas are starting to miss the higher rain totals and there are a few more areas finding the opportunity to get into the field.

Field work is just starting back up after drying enough to spray. I refuse to look at the forecast.

We are just about dry enough to begin fieldwork (again) on Mother’s Day weekend. Morningglory showed up in corn after last week’s report. Soybeans are clean. Only one cutworm moth was caught in trap and a few corn plants had wireworm injury. Next up will be spotting in soybeans in drowned out areas of various fields.

Those that were able to plant early are seeing emergence. The recent wet weather has created some planting challenges as farmers are trying to work around the stormy weather. The recent rain in west central Illinois has resulted in some standing water in fields and muddy field conditions.

The start of another growing season! Limited field activity for nearly two weeks, our most recent precipitation event on May 7th will continue this trend. Planted corn is reaching V1 and planted soybean emerging, but plenty of seed can still be found in bags. Unworked or sprayed fields are full of winter annuals including Butterweed. Reports of significant alfalfa leaf feeding in regional hay fields. In the two most recent growing seasons farmers harvested almost 100% of planted acres with few drowned out areas, that is not likely in this region in 2024.

Planting has paused due to wet conditions, but corn has started to emerge in fields that were planted earlier.