If you have irrigation – Use It,
Water use for wheat, Rye. and perennials has been 1.5” to 1.8”/ week.
Corn and soybean use 40% – 60% of those values. If the crop depletes most of the soil moisture reserve prior to summer, it will be hard to meet water demands of crops during the crucial mid and late summer period.
Total May rainfall was ½ of normal (2”/4”) in many areas.
See https://enviroweather.msu.edu/weathermodels/rainfallhistorical To get a locally custom rainfall data example: During April and May Coldwater Enviroweather received 3.46”rainfall compared to the 10 year average of almost 8”.
- Forages: First cutting yield where low and second cutting is expected to be dismal in many areas.
- Annual forage option for emergencies production.
- Control weeds.
- Do not give up- or at least think hard about decisions and what options you have.
- Learn from your mistakes, or better yet- Learn from your neighbors mistakes.
Adding New irrigation
https://www.canr.msu.edu/irrigation/upoads/files/11ChecklistForPlanningIrrigationSystems08.22.pdf
Please have perspective new irrigators contact me. I will talk through the major points in the checklist.
Physical water availability, State Large Volume Water Use Registration, realistic timing, irrigation economics.
Lyndon Kelley, Irrigation Educator – MSU Extension/Purdue Extension
612 E Main St, Centreville, MI 49032, kelleyl@msu.edu
https://www.canr.msu.edu/irrigation/
269-467-5511 (office), 269-535-0343 (cell)
