Cherokee County, Northwest Iowa | 0630 today: checked soil temp 3 inches from transformer and in the middle. Both 74 degrees.
Watered the area at 1100.
1445 today: went back to see what is going on. Transformer is providing a shaded area, which is where the grass has emerged. Also noticed that the soil is just barely damp yet on the surface. Soil temp is 80 degrees.
Soil temp in the middle of the area is 92 degrees, and top is dry.
I put a piece of plywood out between two five gallon buckets at 1100. Soil surface in the shade of the plywood is also still a tad damp, and temp is also 80 degrees.
So my conclusions today is that the shade of the transformer (where the grass has barely emerged) is keeping the soil 12 degrees cooler and stays damp longer than the unshaded areas. Which is more important? I do not know.
You guys were right-my thought last night that "electricity was affecting the germination and emergence of grass seed" was totally incorrect. Wrong again, Bruce. It's shade, cooler soil temps, and staying damp longer.
New Ag Talks version of "Mythbusters", eh?
Edit: That picture was taken last night at 8:30 pm, thus the idea of a shaded area due to the transformer didn't enter my head
Edited by Bruce NW Ia 8/21/2025 17:00
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Electricity affects grass seed germination....
