Is Planting Today a GO or NO-GO Situation?

Planters have been rolling along here and there for the past few weeks now and with the recent rainfall and the ever present thoughts of drought in our heads, many farmers are eager to get back in the field and get the planter rolling before the moisture slips away with the heat and wind. 

So how do you know if it’s a GO? 

Make this seemingly difficult decision easier with this simple trick I use in almost all my decision making. 

Use the 1 to 10 scale and rate the conditions against “Optimal.” If you rate the conditions at 8 or better, you are in a GO situation, if your rating of the conditions is a 7 or less, it is still a NO-GO.

If you’re in a NO-GO situation and you just can’t stand it because your neighbors are running, here’s a few things to remember:

1. The highest yields are ALWAYS achieved when you do the best job of planting 
2. Field conditions vary from field to field based on past farming practices
3. There’s no way to pick the “right” date to plant because the future weather conditions are uncontrollable 

So take a deep breath, evaluate your conditions, and plant when the soil conditions are optimal!

This post was written by Axis Seed – Red Barn Enterprises President and resident corn expert, Matt Long.