Posted: 06.07.2011

With mounting heat concerns in Wisconsin - crops will go from the bag to heat stress fairly quickly.  Mark Weihing, Pioneer agronomist, says that growers need to remember once the air temperature gets over around 88 degrees - that tender corn plant that's developing basically shuts down to protect itself. 

Wisconsin farmers used the warm, dry weather over the past 7 days to make up for lost time in planting and alfalfa harvest. The Wisconsin Ag Statistical Service said that the state's corn planting was almost done with 93 percent complete statewide, compared to 99 percent last year, and the five-year average of 97 percent. Some growers reported switching acreage to soybeans because they were unable to get corn planted in a timely manner due to wet fields.

Soybean planting was at 75 percent complete, compared to 90 percent last year. Soybean planting was wrapping up fast in several counties. Farmers were busy cutting first crop hay with 34 percent harvested across the state. There were a few reports of farmers plowing up hay ground with intentions of either direct seeding, planting corn for silage, or soybeans.

Some reporters noted alfalfa fields may have experienced more winterkill than previously observed. A Columbia County reporter noted that alfalfa was being harvested mostly for haylage with very good quality, but quantity was average. However, a reporter from Green County commented that quality would be lower, and yields would be average, due to delayed harvest.

Winter wheat was just beginning to head out in Monroe County, with wheat already headed out in Grant County. Dairy cows and heifers were now seen grazing in pastures. Rye harvest was pretty well done in Waukesha County. In Walworth County, peas were starting to blossom. Irrigation systems were running in Oneida County to protect cranberry vines from frost, with record low temperatures in the area. Potatoes looked good in Portage County.

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