Déjà vu: Dry weather is once again creating challenging planting conditions for forages and small grains for the second year in a row. As I’m writing this, all of northeast Ohio is currently in D0 (abnormally dry) conditions, with several counties farther south in D1 (moderate drought) or D2 (severe drought) conditions.
These conditions are likely to worsen with no rain in the long-range forecast, causing further headaches for this growing season.
After a very wet start to the growing season, the rain shut off, dashing hopes of adequate moisture to promote good germination for forages. Some shallow-seeded forages planted in late August germinated well after a light rain, but have since stalled or, in some cases, died off. Scattered rain showers coupled with cooler temperatures helped the seeds germinate, but without consistent moisture, the young seedlings could not get their roots deep enough to find water before drying out.
Late summer is an ideal time to plant forages as there is usually adequate soil moisture for germination, and there is enough time for the plants to establish before heading into winter. As the days get shorter and colder, the planting window for most forages is coming to a close. I know some farmers are watching the forecast with an eagle eye with hopes to get a stand planted yet this fall. Even if we get a decent rain, there may not be enough time for the forage to get established before winter. If you have the option, you may want to consider postponing your forage planting until next spring.
Wheat and other small grains should be planted after the fly-free date to decrease the risk of Hessian fly damage, and also prevents the spread of diseases like barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). Sept. 22 is the earliest fly-free date for northern Ohio counties bordering Lake Erie, extending to Oct. 5 for counties on the Ohio River. Planting wheat on this date provides the best yield potential, but research has shown that planting up to two weeks after this date will retain about 97% of the potential yield. Yield can drop off rapidly if planted more than two weeks after the fly-free date.
With a few more weeks remaining to plant wheat, this offers an opportunity for Mother Nature to provide a little more rain to help get the crop started.
If dry conditions persist into wheat planting, there are a few practices that you can use to increase your chances for success. No-tilling practices can preserve soil moisture. Tillage brings damp soil to the surface, accelerating evaporation. Plant as deep as you can to get to moisture, but no deeper than 1.5 inches or the wheat may struggle to break the soil surface. Increasing your seeding rate to 1.6 to 2.0 million seeds per acre will also increase your chances of a successful stand. You may be tempted to increase your fertilizer rates to jump-start the wheat, but nitrogen and potash fertilizers contain a lot of salts that absorb moisture. In a normal planting year, this isn’t really a major concern, but with current dry soil conditions, the fertilizer and seeds will be competing for the same water in the soil.
If you need help making management decisions, OSU Extension has resources to help manage your farm in this dry weather at go.osu.edu/ohiodrought. You can also reach out to a local extension office to speak with your ag and natural resources educator. You can find your local office at extension.osu.edu.
