As planting season approaches, meteorologists are keeping a close eye on weather patterns influenced by the transition from La Niña to ENSO-neutral conditions.
While this generally signals more typical weather, it does not guarantee “normal” conditions.
There are concerns about lingering dry conditions in the southwest and Plains, which could lead to drought. Other regions are experiencing heavy rainfall that may cause planting delays. With these mixed weather patterns, experts predict tight planting windows, which could impact the timing and success of crop planting this Spring.
Farmers are looking to kick off their spring planting with cool-season crops.
When soil temperatures look to finally reach the ideal range, K-State Research and Extension shares advice on what crops to focus on in the early Spring and how to navigate the start to the season.
According to Gregg Eyestone, “It’s all based on soil temperatures. And once they get about 40º, that opens up a window for planting. So, what we want to achieve is a continuous warming trend in our soils. You can check that out. Get a cheap thermometer and put it in the ground. Test the temperature around 10:30/11 AM. That’s kind of the average for the day, and once we have several days of 40º, several meaning five, six, maybe a whole week, we can probably plant.”
He recommends you map out what crops you are planting where; it can help with overall nutrients and maybe even some pest issues.
