La Salle County crop and rainfall report: Fungicide application begins in cornfields

The summer crop and rainfall report, which features crop condition and rainfall updates from La Salle County farmers, is published regularly during the growing season.

This is the fifth report of the summer.

The following report covers July 1 through July 7 and is provided with assistance from the La Salle County Farm Bureau.

David Hall, Serena: The reporting week was pretty mild and yielded only 0.1 inche of rain from some promising forecasts. Crops still are looking good, with early corn in pollination and later corn approaching it quickly. Early planted 30-inch row beans are about to shade the rows. Area activities included cutting hay, combining wheat, baling straw and mowing ditches. Japanese beetles are doing a number on tree leaves, but pressure on crops so far is low. Markets still are sliding lower. Have a safe week!

Ken Beck, Mendota: We have had anywhere from 0.3 inches of rain up here in the northwestern part of La Salle County. A lot of fungicide spraying is starting to begin on the corn. The dog days of summer are starting to come. We’re going to be done with all this soon.

David Myer, Marseilles: Another busy week has flown by, and the pavement got wet twice this past week. The crops all need a good soaking rain. Corn looks great, but the crop is not in the bin, so scouting it for insect or disease pressures continues. The soybeans have hit the fast-growing stage, so hopefully their canopy of the ground will help weed pressure. Forecasts called for rain almost every day, so very little hay was cut. Hope remains that after the rain from the tropical storm, that may change. The wheat was combined but was slow to dry in the field. Test weights and quality were good, although there’s still straw to bale. The “cheater beans” were planted where straw was baled.

Bill Gray, Tonica/Lostant: Last week I received about 0.05 inches of rain. The corn and soybean crops continue to mature and look pretty good. There have been planes, helicopters and even drones applying fungicide and micronutrient foliar feeding to some of the cornfields in my area and, very soon, there will be fungicide applications on soybean fields also. Last week, some soybean fields were sprayed with herbicide. Wheat harvest in my area was pretty much completed, and most of the straw was baled. Roadsides are being mowed to control weeds, and soon we will be getting ready for harvest. We’re still seeing several fawns, and antler growth on some of the local bucks looks pretty good. Archery season will be here before we know it, so it’s time to do some deer stand maintenance. Been hearing coyotes howling, too, so I guess we didn’t get them all last year, but we sure put a hurt on them. Have a good week, and be safe.

Ken Bernard, Grand Ridge: No rain for the week. It sure would be nice if it did. I remember one older neighbor who lived not too far away from me said it will rain 15 minutes before it is too late to do any good. We will see what this next week brings. Corn is really moving along; tassels are out in full force in the early planted corn. Later corn should probably start in a couple of weeks. Besides being dry, the temperatures are not too bad for pollination. The soybeans are looking OK, but they could also use a drink. And for the weeds, I know I sound like a broken record, but they keep growing and popping through the crops. The wheat in the neighborhood has all been harvested, and the second crop beans have been planted, and most of them are up, looking good for the dry conditions that we have. Well, it is La Salle County 4-H Fair week, so if it does not rain this week, we are for sure in a drought. We will see what next week’s report says for rainfall. Have a safe week, and enjoy the 4-H Fair.

Geoffrey Janssen, Rutland: It was a dry week in the southern part of the county, with no measurable rainfall. We’re starting to see more tassels emerge in the cornfields. Soybeans are getting some size and height to them despite the drier weather. Wheat has been harvested in my area. Yields are good this year.

Rainfall (in inches):

David Hall – 0.1

Ken Beck – 0.3

David Myer – 0

Bill Gray – 0.05

Ken Bernard – 0.65

Geoffrey Janssen – 0