Comeback Of The Year Award

A week ago I was prattling on in this forum about spraying wheat and planting soybeans. Seven days later, the wheat has been sprayed and most of the soybean crop has been planted.  It is 26 degrees and sunny out.  Some rain is in the forecast.  Corn is emerging in less than two weeks after planting.  It takes 150-180 heat units to get corn and soybeans emerged, so you don't need a heat unit chart to tell you how much heat we have received.   The 2013 planting season has been a huge success so far.

Brian gave me some observations from the sprayer seat after driving through approx 2000 acres of wheat.  Going over a bunch of acres provides real insight.

1. Either the wheat is really good or not very good.  Not much in between.  As always, it looks much better from the road than it does close up.
2. When nitrogen did not go on until the first week of May there has not been enough rain to activate the N.  If the nitrogen source was urea, the situation is worse and the wheat is starving for N.
3. If nitrogen and sulphur were applied together in April, the wheat looks fantastic.
4. Disease pressure is low, but where the canopy is lush the fungicide will still pay for itself.

I have stated it before in this blog and I will continue to keep stating it.  There is only one good way to control perennial weeds and winter annuals in the wheat crop.  Spray in the FALL.  Mike Cowbrough and Peter Johnson have been banging away on this one as well and the message is not getting through.

Look at the next two pictures.

Taken May 2, 2013.

Taken May 16, 2013.
Same spot, same field.  I just do not understand why this is considered acceptable. One shot of glyphosate in the fall takes care of this.  Just do it.

The comeback of the year award has to go to our apple trees.  They are loaded with blossoms.  We have never seen them like this before.

It appears the tree is trying to make up for last year's crop failure.  If all these blooms become apples the tree will collapse under its own weight.  My mouth waters with the thoughts of harvest.