How to Plant in Wet Conditions

With spring snow and heavy rain in parts of the United States and Canada, you may be considering starting planting in less than desirable planting conditions because of what the date on the calendar reads. But, be patient. Getting off to a good start with proper field conditions is critical to maximizing yield potential. In most cases, planting in less-than-desirable conditions cannot be made up later in the year.

Below we discuss four things to consider when there is excessive moisture during planting season:

• Nutrient availability

• Seeding diseases

• Early insects

• Equipment usage

1. Nutrient Availability

It is important to consider how environmental conditions could affect crops' nutrient dynamics throughout the growing season.

For example, in cold soils in the spring, zinc is less available to the crop. However, zinc is a critical nutrient for early root development.

In dry conditions, crops can benefit greatly from higher potassium levels, however this nutrient is taken up in smaller quantities in dry soils. In saturated soil, root growth slows or even stops altogether and, as a consequence, crops generally take up less nutrition from the soil, hindering overall growth and yield production.

2. Seedling Diseases

If you’ve ever dealt with a soil-borne pathogen on your farm, your best bet is to consider it the new normal. When rotten seed is found in the soil with no insect presence, chances are good that it may be from disease.

Phytophthora and rhizoctonia are two diseases that like wet, warm soils. Pythium and fusarium prefer wet and cool soils. While these diseases are all different, taking advantage of a fungicide seed treatment can keep them at bay while your crop emerges and gets ready to begin the growth process.

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