Ag Line: Delayed Wheat Planting
By Wade Parker County Extension Coordinator

For the last few weeks, all eyes and ears were centered on the drought in North Georgia. However, the dry spell has extended to our area and does not appear to be letting up anytime soon. While this weather is excellent for harvesting cotton and peanuts, the dry weather will be delaying our wheat planting.

There are a few production practices farmers can follow to help alleviate the situation. If farmers choose to plant in limited soil moisture, getting a stand will be difficult. Not only will getting a stand be difficult, but fall tillering will be reduced. Growers should check their fields in late January. If the stand is thin and we have had some rain by then, an early application of Nitrogen (30-60 pounds) should be applied in late January to help stimulate tillering. Keep in mind the amount of tillering has a huge impact on wheat yield.

If you delay planting due to extended drought conditions, growers should increase seeding rate. Drought conditions may mask weed problems, and subsequent rains could produce some unwanted surprises for wheat growers. If you are planting in a conservation tillage setting, always make sure to use a strong "burn-down" herbicide even if the field looks clean at planting time. Staying ahead of weeds is always a challenge for growers, but may actually be of increased importance in drought conditions, because weeds may be more competitive for valuable soil moisture than wheat. Harmony Extra has been changed to allow earlier application to wheat. If the weather slows wheat growth, don't let the weeds get the upper hand. Weed competition will hurt tillering.

If a farmer has irrigation available, I recommend watering before you plant. It is very important to have a moist seed bed prior to planting. It is very discouraging to have to water wheat prior to getting a stand, however, it may be necessary.

There are a number of things wheat growers can do to offset drought and delayed planting dates, but the bottom line is that we must have fall moisture to have a good wheat crop!

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