#Plant2026 for Success
You’ve weighed the agronomics and the economics — and now the planter is rolling. The decisions don’t stop, though. The weather changes plans, equipment breaks and pests pop up. Every step plays a role in the success of your planting season as well as the growing and harvest seasons to come.
Ken Ferrie lays out a strategy for farmers struggling with ponded corn acres after rains soak parts of the Midwest.
David Hula and Randy Dowdy explain why precise seed spacing is no longer a requirement just for high corn yields.
Scottsbluff farmers face drought, low snowpack and delayed irrigation. Many are returning seed or having to pre-irrigate to get crops planted.
Data shows late-planted corn can “cheat” the clock with GDU acceleration, making the case for holding the line on your original hybrids for now.
Sidedressing is often the best opportunity in-season to address corn nutrient needs, but Ken Ferrie urges caution if you plan to go with “blind sidedressing” before the crop emerges or at spike. He offers three considerations.
Agronomists say uniform but thinner stands often outperform starting over with corn and soybeans.
Farmers in parts of the High Plains and Southeast need a break from relentless drought, while nationwide planting progress is outpacing the five-year average.
Agronomist Phil Long explains the critical gap between air and soil temperatures and why the “heat engine” for corn and soybeans has stalled in some areas.