In this issue:
- Current Situation
- When can I plant summer annuals?
- Pecan phylloxera
Current situation: It is dry! The corn crop ranges from just planted to V5. Most of the local wheat is past anthesis, and some growers are irrigating. Forage producers are cutting oats for baleage. This week’s drought monitor shows that 94% of Colquitt County is experiencing D4, or exceptional drought conditions. This is a change from last week, when the Drought Monitor classified all of Colquitt County as experiencing D3, or extreme drought conditions.
According to the National Weather Service, the Moultrie area received 1.41 inches of rain for the month of March which is 28.9% of normal.
When can I plant summer annuals? Soil temperatures must be greater than 65 °F at 2 in. deep before planting can safely occur. The 4-inch soil temperatures this week at the Sunbelt Expo location of the UGA Weather network ranged from upper 60’s to mid-70’s. These forages grow much faster than perennial forages, so consider staggering your planting dates to extend the summer forage supply. Two plantings made approximately 4 weeks apart can provide good-quality forage throughout the summer.
Seeding rates for warm season annual grasses are included in table 1.
Pecan: I had a question about pecan phylloxera this past week. The UGA Pecan Spray suggests to treat trees with a recent history of heavy infestation and surrounding trees. Pecan growers should apply an insecticide such as Centric or imidacloprid at budbreak with the first pre-pollination spray. Dr. Barma discussed this topic at the past Colquitt County Pecan Production meeting.
If you have any questions please contact your local county Extension agent.
Have a great week,
Jeremy M. Kichler
Colquitt County Extension Coordinator
The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension does not endorse or guarantee the performance any products mentioned in this update.