Published: July 03, 2009 10:00 pm      

Farmers finding varied crop conditions

Recent warm spell encouraged growth, but some fields are still behind.

Depending on what county a field is located in, local farmers are either experiencing average crop growth or waiting for a change in weather conditions.

Crops in Howard and Hamilton counties were reported mostly on schedule as of Thursday, but in Tipton County, it’s a different story.

“We’re not really too good in Tipton County,” farmer Kip Bergman said. “There are a lot of water-logged crops and standing water. The yield is being hurt.”

Bergman said the fields he farms in Hamilton County are a little better.

“We need warm sunshine,” he said. “During those 90-degree days we had, the corn grew more in those four or five days than from the time it was planted.”

Bergman said Tipton County fields have not recovered from the wet planting season.

“It seems like the rain has been falling along Ind. 28,” he said. “There is still a lot of moisture in the ground.”

Bergman said the ground is very hard, which is not allowing the plant roots to expand. He said the ground was compacted because the planting took place in wet conditions.

“We need some heat,” he said. “Some 80 and 90 degree weather. Then in a week or so we will need more rain.

“We still have hope,” Bergman added.

Howard County farmer Dick Miller, who planted approximately 1,100 acres in corn and soybeans, said the warm days really stimulated the crops.

The old adage was corn should be knee high by the Fourth of July, but in the past decade, Miller said farmers prefer knee high corn by June 4.

“The corn is closer to being on track,” he said, “the beans have improved in color but are still a little behind.”

Miller said the cooler weather of recent days has slowed the progress.

“Right now we need a timely rain,” Miller said. “About three-quarters to an inch of rain every week would be marvelous.”

Miller said Howard County farmers have recovered from the wet planting season better than other counties have.

“The wet planting is pretty much a memory,” he said. “The crops have recovered a good percentage of the time lost.”

Miller said a fertilizer salesman has expressed a concern about how hard the ground still is and that there was some compaction of the soil.

“We need more rain to soften the ground and let the plants expand the root system. Everything depends on Mother Nature.”

The wheat crop in central Indiana is ready to be harvested, he said. Normally the wheat is part of a farmer’s July 4th celebration.

Farmers currently are currently applying weed control measures to the fields, according to Miller.

“We’re watching the weather maps,” he said.

• Ken de la Bastide is the Kokomo Tribune enterprise editor. He can be reached at (765)

454-8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@ kokomotribune.com