It’s hard to believe that it’s September! The Fly-Safe Date for Sowing Wheat is only three weeks out: the 28th for Shelby County. There was a great article in last week’s CORN Newsletter that addressed some points to keep in mind for good wheat stand establishment.
First of all, select best-yielding varieties that also have resistance to important diseases in our area. Avoid varieties with susceptibility to Fusarium head scab. Get seed that has been properly cleaned and treated with a fungicide seed treatment.
Be sure to plant enough seed and deep enough to get good tillering! Optimum seeding rate for 7 1/2-inch rows is about 18 to 24 seeds per foot of row; seeding rates above 30 seeds per foot increase lodging and the risk of severe powdery mildew development the following spring. Seeds should be planted 1 1/2 inches deep, making sure planting depth is uniform across the field. Shallow planting is the main cause of low tiller numbers and poor, over-winter survival due to heaving and freezing injury.
Twenty to 30 pounds of actual nitrogen per acre is needed at planting for fall tiller development. Add phosphorus if your soil test is less than 25 ppm; potassium levels are dependent upon your soil cation exchange capacities; once again, a soil test will give you the best guidance!
Optimum planting is within 10 days after the Fly-Safe Date. Planting before that increases the risk of insect and disease problems. To read the complete article, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2017-29/full. While you’re there, you can read the article on “Wheat Variety Selection: An Important First Step for Reducing Scab and Vomitoxin.”
Farm Science Review will be here before time to sow wheat: September 19, 20, 21!! Yes, there are all kinds of big equipment on display, and you can watch field operations such as corn and soybean harvest, planting and nutrient applications, field drainage installation, tillage and baling and wrapping of corn stalks.
Other opportunities for learning new things include the Turfgrass Plots. Here you can talk with Ohio State turf experts about your turf needs and issues. You can see, touch and walk on the turf show area to see what’s new.
The Utzinger Memorial Garden will have presentations in the gazebo; Effective Fertilizers, Wonderful Ohio Weeds?, the Glories of Trees, Lawn Care Basics, Organic and Nonorganic Pest Control Options and Dazzling Dahlias are just some of the topics. New this year is the Monarch Station and a raised garden which promotes handicap accessibility.
Master Gardener volunteers will be available to answer questions. The West Central Ohio Beekeepers Association will also be present to discuss how to become a beekeeper and some of the equipment needed to get started.
Ohio AgrAbility will offer daily workshops to discuss what’s available for farmers who are injured or struggling with a physical disability but don’t want to give up farming. Two of the workshops are on modifications to farm equipment, and the other workshop is for professionals who work with individuals with disabilities. The Farm Modification sessions, at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. daily, will address what changes can be made to farm equipment to allow farmers to use equipment without causing undue strain or additional injuries. The workshop for professionals will be at 1:30 p.m.
There will also be programs on “Gardening and Farming with Arthritis — It Doesn’t Have to Hurt” at the Small Farm Center, Wednesday, at 10:30 a.m., and “Gardening with Arthritis” at the Utzinger Garden, Tuesday and Thursday, at 10 a.m.
Tickets for Farm Science Review are $7 and available at our office. The full schedule of events is available at fsr.osu.edu.
