A local farmer discussed the completion of the planting season and how the drastic weather has impacted the plants.
Colin Johnson, a Swine specialist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, addressed how the weather this spring has affected this season in the fields and the role that weeds play during this time. Johnson explained how the current dry weather affects the root system.
“If we’re going to be dry this is actually a good time of the year to be dry, if you’re wet in the spring and then you dry off later in the year, then that plant never developed a strong root system to search for water and nutrients.” Colin Johnson, Swine Specialist, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Johnson explained how the weeds change during a drought and the actions that farmers should take depending on the nutrients available in the soil.
“This heat is going to challenge things, weeds get hard, they kind of shrink up and develop a waxy coat to drive all of their energy from the root system that’s there from the soil. So what that does is it makes chemical kill a little bit harder since they don’t absorb it at the moment if we go out and do some spraying here in the next couple weeks, so hopefully fields are clean enough that we catch some quick spraying this week or we may be waiting a week or two to let those weeds regrow to get some moisture again.” Colin Johnson, Swine Specialist, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Because of the setback of the drastic weather, Johnson is hoping for a warmer end to the summer to be on track for harvest season.
“It’s not going to be a September harvest unless we have high 90 degree days, and hot nights matter more than hot days.” Colin Johnson, Swine Specialist, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Johnson hopes that even though the weather is an unknown factor, the plants can thrive according to it.
