Current Conditions

•A half inch or more of rain fell across the state this past week, bringing yearly totals to near or above the 30-year average for many stations.

•Temperatures at least 2°F above normal for most last week, with daily highs topping out in the mid to upper 80’s

Impact

•Slight declines in soil moisture at most Wisconet stations despite the rainfall, but models indicate that soil moisture levels are near or wetter than normal.

•Soil temperatures are near 60°F at Wisconet sites, a jump from last week.

•No change in the US Drought Monitor in the state from last week.

•Corn and soybean planting made big strides over the past week and continue to outpace the 5-year average.

Outlook

•The rainy trend is forecasted to continue into this next week – some could see multiple inches of precip.

•Near normal temps & precip to wrap up May, with uncertainty for June conditions (equal chances).

•The warmer-than-normal conditions have a higher probability to continue through the summer.

•A transition to La Niña is expected by June.

What does this mean for you? Here are some things to consider for your farm this week:

Planting Considerations

•Soil temperatures are now adequate for planting throughout the state.

•Soil moisture is adequate or even high in most places. Be cautious about planting into muddy conditions, especially with more rain forecasted.

•Cover crop termination:

• If local soil conditions are dry, consider an earlier cover crop termination to reduce evapotranspiration.
• If local soil conditions are wet, consider delaying cover crop termination until crop planting or later to manage excess soil moisture for planting.

Nutrient & Herbicide Applications

•Consider doing tissue testing and pre-sidedress nitrate testing after crop has emerged to assess fertilizer need.

•Early planted corn and soybeans have emerged. Properly staging your crop assists with timing future applications. Growth stage guides available for corn, soybean and wheat at Growing Guides – Integrated Pest and Crop Management – UW–Madison (wisc.edu)

Manure Applications

•Runoff risk is moderate to severe for the next week across the state. Be mindful of the possibility of runoff and plan manure applications accordingly. Check the DATCP runoff risk advisory forecast here.

Pest Management

•Black cutworm feeding damage is expected to begin this week in Southern Wisconsin, and true armyworms are also still likely. Sign up to receive text alerts when pests are in your region here.

•Alfalfa weevil damage is increasing in the southern part of the state.

•Consider applying a fungicide on winter wheat as conditions have been right for Fusarium Head Blight and vomitoxin development, read more here.

Forage Management

•Watch alfalfa for lodging as RFQ values from lab testing are outpacing predictions based on PEAQ readings, favorable conditions have led to a crop that grows quite tall before entering reproductive stages