By Dave Case
On Fertile Ground
Did you get your crabgrass preventer on? Seems early but it’s not. Early is better than too late for best results. Our temperatures have been warm enough for crabgrass to germinate and grow. Crabgrass germinates at a 2 inches depth of 50 degrees. I suspect/estimate we are at around 46-49 degrees right now.
And to review, we talked last month about P and K in the fall not the spring. You should only need a slow-release nitrogen now. I put mine on early March.
Get your cool season crops like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, lettuce, and spinach in the garden, raised beds and containers.
Have any apple trees? Be on the watch out for fire blight, cedar rust, and apple scab.
Need to have your lawn or garden soil tested? Contact our County Extension office. They can help.
What else to do this spring?
-Trim back Ornamental grasses and perennials.
-Sharpen mower blades if haven’t already done so.
-Crabgrass and lawn weed preventer. See above!
-Gradually toughen up garden seedlings to plant them outside.
Farm sector news and notes:
See and Spray
Have you all read about Deere’s new See & Spray Ultimate?! Targeted spraying is now a reality! Within 200 milliseconds, the sprayer detects weeds it wants to eradicate, spots them and sprays. It’s available on 410R, 412R and 612R sprayers, has a 120-foot-wide boom, carbon fiber truss. It’s been said it could save a 2000- acre corn farmer, up to $84,000!
Nexat
Have you seen this monstrosity? Check out https://www.nexat.de/en/#. Is it the next wave in tractors and combines? Not sure, possibly. Cost? “The entire package for $2 million.” It’s an all-in-one machine that is mighty intriguing.
Handles planting, cultivation, spraying and cultivation with one unit and modules.
Swapping modules can be done in 10 minutes. Do check out the web site!
Short stature corn
Doesn’t look like anyone in Champaign County will be getting any of Bayer’s Short Stature Corn from the press release. It says 300 growers will have 30,000 acres and will be in the three “I” States plus Nebraska. It features 5-7-foot height with ear height of 2 feet so it can be harvested. 2024 is targeted commercial introduction.
Last month’s question!
When water freezes, how much does it expand? About 9%!
Question or comments? Email me at [email protected]
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A graduate of the University of Kentucky, Dave Case majored in Agronomy and Ag Econ with an emphasis in Weed Science. Dave’s career spanned Champaign Landmark, Crow’s Hybrid Corn Company and Bayer CropScience. In 2018, Case formed Case Ag Consulting LLC.
He is a member of Alpha Gamma Rho Agricultural Fraternity and Alpha Zeta Agricultural Honorary. He is on the Board of Directors of the Agribusiness Association of Kentucky, Chairman of the Ohio AgriBusiness Association Educational Trust Foundation and Secretary of the Alpha Gamma Rho Alumni Board. He is also a Champaign County Historical Society Agricultural Capital Campaign Committee Member and is a Trustee for the Champaign County Farm Bureau. Dave and his wife Dorothy live on a small farm south of Urbana where they raise goats, chickens and various crops. Dave can be reached at [email protected].
A graduate of the University of Kentucky, Dave Case majored in Agronomy and Ag Econ with an emphasis in Weed Science. Dave’s career spanned Champaign Landmark, Crow’s Hybrid Corn Company and Bayer CropScience. In 2018, Case formed Case Ag Consulting LLC.
He is a member of Alpha Gamma Rho Agricultural Fraternity and Alpha Zeta Agricultural Honorary. He is on the Board of Directors of the Agribusiness Association of Kentucky, Chairman of the Ohio AgriBusiness Association Educational Trust Foundation and Secretary of the Alpha Gamma Rho Alumni Board. He is also a Champaign County Historical Society Agricultural Capital Campaign Committee Member and is a Trustee for the Champaign County Farm Bureau. Dave and his wife Dorothy live on a small farm south of Urbana where they raise goats, chickens and various crops. Dave can be reached at [email protected].
