La Salle County crop and rainfall report: Farmers assess storm impact as corn continues to tassel

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 sixth report of the summer.

The following report covers July 8 to 14 and is provided with assistance from the La Salle County Farm Bureau.

David Hall, Serena: Corn and soybeans are entering their reproductive phases as we continue through some hot and humid days this summer. We were thinking it was getting a bit dry, so a hurricane decided to pass through the area! Farmers kept busy ahead of the storm, baling wheat straw and hay and planting double crop beans in the harvested wheat fields. Fungicide also is being applied by airplanes and ground rigs. We received 4 inches of rain for the reporting week from a combination of the hurricane remnants and some weekend storms. It appears that the rain was spread out just enough to avoid anything more than minimal ponding in the fields. Cooler temperatures are forecasted for the last half of July, which the corn will benefit from during pollination. Have a safe week, everyone!

Ken Beck, Mendota: Up here in the northwestern part of La Salle County, we received about 3 inches of rain for the week. Muggy conditions. Spraying is becoming difficult. Obviously, it is too wet. Things still are looking good so far. No wind damage.

David Myer, Marseilles: We experienced lots of rain and high winds from Saturday through Monday evening. A rain total of 4.3 inches and wind damaged corn about seven days from tasseling. Tipped and twisted plants hopefully will straighten up some, but I’m sure we had some green snap as well. Soybeans survived better, but now we need lots of sunny dry days as more disease pressure could get higher. Haying has not gone well the last two to three weeks, but the window of sunny dry days will get that second cutting up in great shape, but there’s lots of it that was cut and did not get put up before the rains came through. The wheat beans look great at this point and will need August rains, as well as the other crops, too. Enjoy the lower humidity days of the last half of July.

Bill Gray, Tonica/Lostant: Last week, I received 2 inches of rain. Corn fields are almost all tasseled out and looking pretty good. I’m not seeing much for insect damage at all so far. Aerial application of fungicide still is being done on some fields of corn. I’m seeing a few Japanese beetles around and will continue to keep an eye on soybean fields for damage. So far, the damage has only been in small areas of the fields. Aerial application of fungicide will be done soon on a few fields. Sunflowers that I planted for the wildlife are doing great. The bees are enjoying them now, and our song bird population is increasing as they wait for them to mature. We’ve gotten some odd jobs done around the farm and continue grass mowing with the recent rains. Have a good week, and be safe.

Ken Bernard, Grand Ridge: For the week, we received 0.9 inches of rain, a very welcome rain with the hot and dry conditions – we needed it. Looks like we will get some next week also. Have not cut hay yet – the forecast of rain earlier in the week kept me on the edge of cutting or not cutting. When it gets a window now, we will have all of it to cut. Later-planted corn is starting to tassel. Hot weather is not what we want, but it is what we got. Fungicide application has started by planes and ground application rigs. Beans are being sprayed for the escaped weeds and an early application of fungicide. Sweet corn is being sold by some local families and is very good. Ears are a little smaller than the last couple of years but are good. Mowing the yards has started again with the rain, so that will continue for a while now. Have another safe and great week.

Geoffrey Janssen, Rutland: It has been a very interesting week in the southern tip of La Salle County. Two consecutive nights of very severe storms have done a tremendous amount of damage to crops, trees and homes. Electrical power has been sporadic at best. Some have been out of power for going on three days. I received 2.65 inches of rain over several evenings, some hail, a lot of wind, some green snapping of corn and twisting of corn. Overall, soybeans weathered the storms better.

Rainfall (in inches):

David Hall – 4

Ken Beck – 3

David Myer – 4.3

Bill Gray – 2

Ken Bernard – 0.9

Geoffrey Janssen – 2.65