Wow, it is dry out there! I’m not telling you anything you do not already know. The weather forecast does not look good for NWNY for at least the next week. It is taking a real toll on the corn crop and now the soybeans are really starting to show it. The US Drought Monitor moved the yellow abnormally dry into western Monroe County. I would expect that this week’s map on Thursday could have some areas turning brown (D1 Drought).
Time to Plant Cover Crops
Many growers utilize a cover crop following wheat and other small grains to improve soil health, nutrient capturing and weed suppression. We recommend the first two weeks in August as the perfect window to plant cover crops. I know it’s dry, but I would still be ready to plant them ahead of the rain. Using herbicides to start clean and keep possible marestail, waterhemp and other summer annuals from going to seed should be a goal. The major problem with utilizing burndown herbicides prior to cover crop establishment is that 2,4-D, dicamba and Sharpen all have some residual activity and that means delayed planting of cover crops particularly broadleaves (clover, radish, turnip) for 30 days or more. Planting annual ryegrass, oats or cereal rye would be a safer bet with these products. Products such as Gramoxone and Glufosinate have no soil activity and so no waiting period to plant any cover crop and could be options for immediately planting broadleaves or cereal/broadleaf cover crop mixes.
Soybean Update
Most of our timely planted soybeans are now at R4 (Full pod). At least one pod at one of the top four nodes is ¾” long. Beans planted in the first week of June are now R3. There are still lots of flowers on the plant and this is a crucial stage where total pod count will be determined. Soybeans can lose 60-70% of their flowers/potential pods. This drought stress comes at a terrible time with possible flower loss. We know that soybean yield is made in August, and we are not off to a good start. There are some pretty good pods developed on the bottom of the plants, and they are filling quickly. I have not seen any foliar diseases yet and I would not expect to see white mold as factor right now.
Keep Watching for Spider Mites
I am getting calls about what looks like spider mite injury. Every field I have looked at has just been drought stress. When looking at these fields from the windshield they all could have been mite injury. The hot dry conditions are perfect for their populations to build up. The western counties are going to be more vulnerable to mite injury because of the added drought stress. Stressed soybeans are more attractive nutritionally and the spider mites seem to reproduce faster and populations bloom. The mites are also more active with the heat and on windy days.
Corn Update
In the abnormally dry western counties, corn is struggling. I saw some early corn in Niagara County last week that was pollinating, and the lower leaves were fired up all the way to the ear leaf. In many of these drought areas growers have scrapped their fungicide programs as yield potentials are already hurt and disease potential is low. The Finger Lakes counties still have some very good-looking corn as they received some showers the rest of the region missed. I know a lot of this corn that was intended for grain will probably be chopped for silage instead.
Only 9 Days Left to Sign Up for the NY Corn and Soybean Contests!
After a one-year hiatus, the corn contest is back to join the soybean contest again. Sign up for the contests here, https://nycsga.memberclicks.net/2025YieldContest#/.
I hear there are not many entries entered so far. There are still some really good corn and soybean fields out there that haven’t missed the rain. Is this your year to be the NY Champion?
Entries must be received and paid for by August 15.
Next report will be August 13.
Assisting Mike Stanyard and Field Support Staff – David Bechtel
