Timing is Everything
From soil temperatures to late season management decisions, farming success is tied closely to the calendar.
Throughout the year, there are certain times to plan, to plant, to harvest, and more. And believe it or not, the crop year really starts with harvest, when you can analyze what’s working in your fields and what should change. It’s important to know what your plan is so you can stay ahead of challenges and take advantage of opportunities.
Prioritize
- Develop field and variety summary and analysis. Compare current production year goal vs. actual production per field.
- Consider lessons learned per variety from previous production plans
- Verify nutrient management plans
- Review priorities with landlords, agronomist/advisors and partners
Plan
- Develop a field-by-field production goal for the next production year
- Schedule and execute soil sampling
- Schedule and/or apply fall fertilizer and/or lime where called for in plans
- Consider running an innate soil test to benchmark sulfur level against known requirements.
[Note: An 8 ppm SO4-S concentration is used by many soil testing labs as the threshold for which an ammonium sulfate application is recommended within a couple weeks of planting.]
- Meet with key suppliers to review and finalize field by field plan
- Commit to early order seed, fertility, and input programs by deadlines
- Summarize goals and objectives for farms and share with managers, advisors, partners and employees
- Develop a list of innovative scientists, researchers, business advisors, growers and suppliers to study and interact with in the off season
Plant and Protect a Healthy Crop and Canopy
- Schedule and/or apply spring fertilizer where called for in plans
- Early spring field scouting and soil temperature data collection
- Execute seedbed prep as needed
- Secure seed and plant crop
- Schedule and/or execute any post planting crop protection applications
Promote Plant Health Throughout the Season
- Continue field scouting protocols
- Execute plant tissue sampling and analysis at V3-V4 growth stages. [Note: Tissue levels below 0.25% S and/or N:S ratios of 18:1 or above, suggest an S deficiency and could benefit from applying ammonium sulfate at R1-R3 growth stages]
- Execute root nodule count data collection by variety and field
- Execute internode counting data collection by variety and field
- Schedule and/or execute post weed, fungus and pest control applications
- Execute R1-R3 broadcast fungicide and ammonium sulfate fertilization where needed
Produce Maximum Yield
- Execute plant tissue sampling and analysis
- Schedule and/or execute late season weed, fungus and pest control applications
- Execute flower data collection
- Execute pod count data collection
- Schedule yield checks with seed and agronomy advisors
- Harvest crop
- Collect yield data (field, variety, farm)