Spring rains impacting SE Minnesota planting season

LEWISTON, Minn. (KTTC) – The recent string of rainy weather has been beneficial for southeast Minnesota farmers as the season begins.

KTTC stopped by a Lewiston farm Friday.

Bruce Gilbeck of Fremont Farms said the rain has been a big help as he begins planting this year’s crop of soybeans and corn, even after a dry start.

“It was scary early, ‘cause we were so dry, and now we’ve been getting really good rains. So, I think our chances of our drought are at least minimized,” Gilbeck said.

Although Gilbeck said this amount of rainfall has been good for crops, he also expressed his concern if there ends up being too much rain.

Brad Carlson, an extension educator at the University of Minnesota Extension, said the area soil can handle about one inch of rain per week this time of year, but if it exceeds this amount, problems can arise.

“The other problem that we potentially might encounter here with the soil completely saturated is because there is no capacity for the water to soak in anymore,” Carlson said. “Most of what is going to fall from here on out is probably going to run off and so we do have the potential for some erosion problems also.”

Gilbeck also noted the possibility of crusting could be a concern. Crusting is a phenomenon where pouring rain creates a hard surface to the soil, making it harder for plants to bud.

“The only worry we have at this point is crusting and emergence issues, and it looks like we’re going to have rain for the next couple of weeks, so I think it will stay moist and we’ve got a nice sprout on the corn so I think it should come through without any crusting issues,”Gilbeck said.

Although the season has just begun, Carlson said the early stages bode well for this year’s yields.

“This year, the vast majority of the corn is planted now, there certainly is some that is still left, but most of it is in the ground and it got in the ground at a very ideal time, so from that standpoint, we are set up for very good yields this year,” Carlson said.

Gilbeck added how, for southeast Minnesota, an optimal planting date for corn is typically the last week of April or the first week of May to get the best possible product.

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