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North Central Illinois | I think they are going to end up in the upper 30's or low 40's. Not at all disappointing for a June 30 planting date. This field wasn't planned to be soybeans this year, but I decided to cut the oats for silage after half the field lodged. I wasn't sure that was the right choice, but we had plenty of rain in August and September was warmer than usual. Better to be lucky than good.
In hindsight, I should have cut the oats 3 weeks earlier though. I had a small patch at one end of this field that had a lot of lambs quarter and a few patches of Canada thistle, so I had the cattle graze those oats off and I planted soybeans in early June. Those are yielding about 50% better. I can't say it is all planting date though, because I used a different variety and the forage removed was returned immediately as cow pies. Also the worst lodging of any of my beans.
I had planned to plant an alfalfa/orchardgrass mix in August after threshing the oats, but that clearly didn't happen. So, I will do that in the spring with an oats nurse crop. | |
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Oats Cover Crop in Soybeans
