Returning To The Farm With Interest

ARE YOU ONE OF THE MANY FARMERS WHO
PLANTED SOYBEANS BEFORE CORN?

Even if your soybeans were planted after the corn, did you plant them earlier than normal? This trend to plant soybeans as early as possible is certainly becoming popular. However, there have been some issues this year…

Let’s look at the challenges and solutions for the future.

WHY DOES EARLY PLANTING WORK WELL FOR SOYBEANS?

  • You can likely close the canopy earlier to hold weeds down.
  • You will have soybeans flowering earlier so you can take advantage of all the sunlight during the longest days of the year in June when your beans are already in the reproductive stages.
  • If you do everything right and the weather cooperates, history has shown higher average yields from early planting.

WEED CONTROL CHALLENGES

PROBLEM: Once again this year, many of the weed control issues in early-planted soybean fields revolved around residual herbicides – either they ran out of control too soon OR they didn’t get applied because the beans emerged before an application could be made.

SOLUTION: In some geographies, like where we farm with heavy soils and low rainfall, fall application of residual herbicides is working very well. The key is to wait until late fall just before freeze up, then plant the field early in the spring to get the fastest crop canopy. If fall application is not for you, then apply your residual herbicides in the spring BEFORE planting. Also, use the three pre program (which includes either trifluralin or Prowl PLUS either Valor or Authority PLUS metribuzin) and use the full recommended rates for your area and your soils. The earlier you apply your residual herbicides, the more time you have to get the 2 to 3 inches of rain it takes to make these products work great.

POOR STANDS

PROBLEM: Either seed didn’t germinate or didn’t emerge well enough to have a sufficient stand. This also may have been caused by poor soil conditions.

SOLUTION: Run a germination test on your seed. The test we recommend is called the Accelerated Aging test. If that result is within 10% of your warm germination test, it’s generally going to work out well in an early-planted situation. Also, use a complete seed treatment with many biologicals along with insecticide and at least three or four good fungicides to stop insects and diseases from killing your seed and young seedlings. Rest assured, when you plant Hefty or Zinesto Soybeans, they have been thoroughly tested, and they can handle cold soils. If you use Hefty Complete Soybean Seed Treatment, many of those components are also in the seed treatment package that allows 40 Series Corn to thrive in cold temps. There is absolutely no better seed treatment for soybeans than Hefty Complete, and it comes with 39 components, an insect respray program, AND a replant guarantee if you plant into dry soils after the first crop insurance date for your area.

SUMMARY OF STEPS TO EARLY-PLANTED SOYBEAN SUCCESS

1. Test seed for survival under stress – or just plant Hefty or Zinesto soybeans.
2. Plant after the first crop insurance date in dry soils.
3. Use Hefty Complete Soybean Seed Treatment on any soybean variety or brand.
4. Use fall-applied or pre-plant residual herbicides at full rates.