Northwest Iowa — The U-S-D-A crop report released Monday showed high winds and frequent showers kept many northwest Iowa farmers from getting the planting season underway.
Iowa State University Extension Crops Specialist Joel DeJong says despite the cooler temperatures most of the signs are positive.
DeJong says the four-inch soil temperature was 35 on Saturday and up to 41 on Sunday, so it is moving in the right direction.
Many farmers are still applying anhydrous ammonia for fertilizer. DeJong says conditions are still favorable, if farmers make certain they are applying that anhydrous ammonia at deep enough levels.
While some farmers in southern Iowa are into the fields, he says here in northwest Iowa farmers may want to wait a few more days, even though research studies indicate better yields are obtained with early planted seed.
He says each farmer can decide what they want to do, but there is no rush.
The U-S-D-A report shows west-central and southwest Iowa had the best conditions last week for working in the fields.
